MEETING WITH MONTENEGRIN PRESIDENT VUJANOVIC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PODGORICA 000058

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL MARR MW
SUBJECT: MEETING WITH MONTENEGRIN PRESIDENT VUJANOVIC

REF: PODGORICA 54

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SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED



1.(SBU) ON MARCH 6 CHARGE PAID A COURTESY CALL ON PRESIDENT
FILIP VUJANOVIC. HE EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR PAST AMERICAN
ASSISTANCE, SAID MONTENEGRO WANTED TO BE A STRATEGIC PARTNER OF
THE UNITED STATES, PLEDGED COOPERATION IN THE FIGHT AGAINST
ORGANIZED CRIME, STATED MONTENEGRIN INTEREST IN RAPID CONCLUSION
OF DEFENSE AGREEMENTS, REITERATED INTEREST IN US INVESTMENT AND
EXPRESSED HOPE FOR A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION TOT HE PROBLEM OF
KOSOVO. END SUMMARY



2.(SBU) CHARGE REQUESTED A MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT AFTER ONE
OF HIS SENIOR STAFF GENTLY SUGGESTED SHE DO SO. THE PRESIDENT
BEGAN, AS APPARENTLY IS HIS HABIT, BY THANKING THE UNITED STATES
FOR THE ASSISTANCE PROVIDED TO MONTENEGRO OVER THE LAST SEVERAL
YEARS. HE TOLD THE CHARGE HE HAD CAREFULLY READ THE INSCR WHICH
WAS SUBJECT OF CONSIDERABLE MEDIA ATTENTION. HE APPRECIATED THE
FACT THAT IT WASN'T ALL NEGATIVE AND TOOK NOTE OF SOME
MONTENEGRIN SUCCESSES IN CLOSING DOWN OFFSHORE COMPANIES AND
ARRESTING MONEY LAUNDERERS. HE AGREED THAT MORE NEEDED TO BE
DONE AND PRAISED THE ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY USG EXPERTS EMBEDDED
IN VARIOUS GOVERNMENT MINISTRIES. MONTENEGRO WOULD WELCOME
EXPERTS IN ALL AGENCIES ENGAGED IN COMBATING ORGANIZED CRIME.
VUJANOVIC AGREED THAT THE PERCEPTION OF CORRUPTION WAS HARMING
MONTENEGROS REPUTATION AND THAT CONCERTED ACTION WOULD BE
REQUIRED TO COUNTER THIS.



3.(SBU) TURNING TO THE ISSUE OF THE ECONOMY, VUJANOVIC SAID THE
GOVERNMENT WAS COMMITTED TO TRYING TO PROMOTE DEVELOPMENT IN THE
NORTH AND COMPLIMENTED CHARGE ON HER RECENT VISIT TO PLEVIJA.
HE LAMENTED THE ABSENCE OF US INVESTMENT, ASKED FOR THE
EMBASSYS ASSISTANCE IN ENCOURAGING IT, BUT CONCLUDED THAT
MONTENEGRO NEEDED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF MAKING ITS POTENTIAL AND
OPPORTUNITIES KNOWN TO US INVESTORS. WITH OVER 500 MILLION
DOLLARS WORTH OF FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT IN 2005, MONTENEGRO
WAS CLEARLY DOING A NUMBER OF THINGS RIGHT, BUT WAS STILL
MISSING A KEY TARGET AUDIENCE. THE NEW AMBASSADOR TO WASHINGTON
HAD BEEN TOLD HIS JOB WAS ECONOMIC DIPLOMACY AS THE OTHER
ASPECTS OF THE RELATIONSHIP WERE WORKING WELL.



4.(SBU) VUJANOVIC SAID MONTENEGRO HAD BENEFITED FROM A NUMBER
VISITS BY HIGH-LEVEL DEFENSE OFFICIALS. HE CITED IN PARTICULAR
THE SEPTEMBER VISIT OF THEN SECRETARY OF DEFENSE RUMSFELD, WHOM
HE DESCRIBED AS DELIVERING ON HIS THREE PROMISES: INVITATION TO
MONTENEGRO TO JOIN PFP; ACCREDITING OF A DATT; LINKAGE WITH
MAINE IN A STATE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM. THE PRESIDENT SAID HE HAD
PERSONALLY REVIEWED THE DRAFT SOFA AGREEMENT AND HIS COMMENTS
WOULD BE INCLUDED IN CONSOLIDATED GOM RESPONSE (SEE REF) HE
EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT THE AGREEMENT COULD BE CONCLUDED SWIFTLY
AND "...IN KEEPING WITH AMERICAN PRACTICE" SIGNED IN WASHINGTON.
CHARGE NOTED TO THE PRESIDENT'S SATISFACTION THAT THERE WOULD A
DATT RESIDENT IN PODGORICA BY THE END OF SUMMER. SHE CONFIRMED
THAT THINGS WERE MOVING FORWARD ON THE SOFA AND OBSERVED THAT
THERE WAS NO SET PRACTICE FOR SIGNING CEREMONIES AND PROMISED TO
WORK WITH THE GOM ON ARRANGEMENTS WHEN THE TIME CAME. ONCE THE
SOFA WAS SIGNED AND DIPLOMATIC NOTES HAD BEEN EXCHANGED ON AN
ARTICLE 98 AGREEMENT, THE US WOULD WANT TO INITIATE A NUMBER OF
TRAINING PROGRAMS, INCLUDING ONE FOR THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH TO
MILITARY PERSONNEL. THE PRESIDENT WHOLE HEARTEDLY ENDORSED THIS
IDEA.



5.(SBU) CHARGE RAISED THE ISSUE OF REGIONAL RELATIONS AND IN
PARTICULAR KOSOVO. VUJANOVIC SAID AS THE SMALLEST OF THE FORMER
YUGOSLAV REPUBLICS, MONTENEGRO WAS SEEN AS NON-THREATENING WHEN
IT SOUGHT TO FOSTER GREATER REGIONAL COOPERATION. GOOD
RELATIONS WITH ALL NEIGHBORS WAS MONTENEGROS GOAL. EMBASSY HAD
HEARD FROM A WELL PLACED SOURCE THAT VUJANOVIC PLANS OFFICIAL
TRAVEL TO ZAGREB IN THE NEXT WEEK, BUT THE PRESIDENT MADE NO
MENTION OF THIS. ECONOMIC COOPERATION IN THE REGION WAS,
ACCORDING TO THE PRESIDENT, LOGICAL, GIVEN THE FORMER
COMPLIMENTARY RELATIONSHIP OF THE CONSTITUENT YUGOSLAV
REPUBLICS. THERE WERE STILL ISSUES SUCH AS PREVLAKA PENINSULA
TO BE WORKED OUT WITH CROATIA. ON THE SUBJECT OF KOSOVO,
MONTENEGRO WOULD NOT OFFER SUGGESTIONS OR TAKE A POSITION. IT
HAS BEEN RIGHT AND PROPER TO INVITE CEKU TO PODGROICA IN
NOVEMBER LAST YEAR, JUST AS IT HAD BEEN RIGHT TO INVITE THE
OTHER KOSOVAR MINISTERS, BUT THE GOVERNMENT HAD TO BE MINDFUL OF
BELGRADE'S REACTION TO THE CEKU VISIT AS WELL AS DOMESTIC
REACTION. HE REGRETTED THAT IN THE IMMEDIATE POST MILOSOVIC
PERIOD BOTH SIDES HAD LOST VALUABLE TIME BEING UNWILLING TO
ENGAGE IN ANY DISCUSSION. THE INTERVENTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL
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COMMUNITY HAD BEEN REQUIRED AND WOULD CONTINUE TO BE REQUIRED TO
FIND A SUSTAINABLE SETTLEMENT IN KOSOVO WHICH ASSURED ADEQUATE
PROTECTIONS FOR THE SERBS AND RETURN OF REFUGEES. HE WAS VERY
CLEAR THAT KOSOVO'S FUTURE WAS ONLY AS A MULTI-ETHNIC STATE.



6.(SBU) COMMENT: THE MEETING, A COURTESY CALL, PROVIDED LITTLE
OF SUBSTANCE. IT WAS INTERESTING THAT A MEMBER OF THE
PRESIDENTS PERSONAL STAFF HAD SOUGHT CHARGE OUT AT A RECEPTION
AND SUGGESTED SHE SEEK A MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT. HE WAS
RELAXED AND ENGAGING DURING THE HOUR LONG MEETING, HIS DEMEANOR
CHANGING ONLY WHEN KOSOVO WAS RAISED. HE SPOKE IN SERBIAN WITH
OCCASIONAL COMMENTS IN ENGLISH, BUT DID NOT REQUIRE TRANSLATION
FROM THE ENGLISH. LIKE MANY MONTENEGRIN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HE
SEEMS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT ATTRACTING US INVESTMENT. UNLIKE MANY
OTHERS, HE SEEMS TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS A SELLING
JOB TO DO.
BARNES
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