COM REACHES OUT TO KOSOVO SERBS IN TOWN HALL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRISTINA 000118

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SENSITIVE
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM KDEM PGOV PINR PREL YI UNMIK EAID PHUM
SOCI
SUBJECT: COM REACHES OUT TO KOSOVO SERBS IN TOWN HALL
MEETING

REF: A. PRISTINA 19


B. PRISTINA 112

C. 06 PRISTINA 1100

D. PRISTINA 56

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED, PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. During a town hall meeting in Gracanica,
Kosovo Serbs shared their practical concerns about
implementation of the Ahtisaari package, economic
development, security, and returns with the COM and EU
representative Torbjorn Sohlstrom. COM described the many
provisions in the document that will benefit Kosovo Serbs,
and urged them to read and understand the entire document
thoroughly. She assured them that the international
community is united and determined to see that all of the
rights and guarantees enshrined in the document will be
implemented in practice. END SUMMARY.

COM URGES KOSOVO SERBS TO UNDERSTAND THE AHTISAARI DOCUMENT


2. (SBU) On February 12, COM and EU representative Torbjorn
Sohlstrom participated in a town hall meeting in Gracanica,
organized by the Belgrade-based NGO Fraktal. They described
the elements contained in UN Special Envoy Ahtisaari's
package, particularly those providing special rights and
guarantees to Kosovo Serbs, and responded to questions on
issues including implementation, economic development, future
international presence, political participation and returns.
Among the Kosovo Serb attendees from Gracanica, Babin Most
and other enclaves south of the Ibar, only one had actually
read the proposal. COM urged them to look carefully at the
document, which has been translated into Serbian by the Unity
Team and is available on several websites, and share the
understandings gained through the townhall discussion with
friends and colleagues.

KOSOVO SERBS FOCUS ON IMPLEMENTATION AND THE ECONOMY


3. (SBU) During the meeting, Kosovo Serbs raised incisive
questions and evinced serious concerns about what their lives
will be like in a post-status Kosovo. None raised the issue
of independence per se; rather, they focused on practical
concerns such as security and prospects for economic
development. Several pointed out that Kosovo institutions
have not implemented already existing laws designed to
protect Kosovo Serbs, and expressed their concern that the
future Kosovo government will be unable or unwilling to put
into practice the rights and guarantees offered by the
package. Several, including the mother of a Kosovo Serb
teenager killed several years ago in a drive-by shooting in
Gracanica, asked about security; others queried about
pensions from former state-owned enterprises and their right
to reclaim usurped properties and businesses and return to
their homes. One asked about international community plans
to implement mass returns, while another pointed out
perceived injustices related to the privatization of
socially-owned enterprises. Referring to the violent Kosovo
Albanian protest against Ahtisaari's proposal in Pristina on
February 10 (ref B),one Serb asked whether the international
community will be able to control such outbursts in the
future, and whether it will succumb to pressure from Kosovo
Albanians and accelerate the status process without proof
that Albanians are willing to meet standards.


4. (SBU) A Serb businessman from Babin Most (ref A)
expressed his disappointment that his enclave and several
others would not be included in a Serb-majority municipality,
maintaining that as a result, the document is "useless" to
him. Other participants questioned whether Kosovo Serbs
would have any real influence in government even if they
agreed to take part in Kosovo institutions. A Serb doctor
expressed his frustration over obstacles in accessing high
quality medicines and other supplies from Serbia,

PRISTINA 00000118 002 OF 002


difficulties he attributed to Kosovar procedures. One
participant asked whether there could be more Serb
municipalities created in the future.

COM ASKS SERBS TO ENGAGE


5. (SBU) COM urged participants to understand that the
Ahtisaari proposal is a robust mechanism for addressing many
of their concerns, and said it affords strong rights and
guarantees to all Kosovo Serbs, regardless of where they
live. She said that the international community is united
and determined to implement the proposal, adding that their
rights will be enshrined in the constitution and noting that
the sole purpose of establishing an international civilian
office in Kosovo post-status is to ensure implementation of
the document. COM and Sohlstrom explained that the status
proposal allows Kosovo Serb municipalities to, among other
things, manage their own healthcare systems, cooperate with
one another and receive financial support from Serbia. COM
emphasized repeatedly that violence will not be tolerated,
and said that KFOR and UNMIK, and eventually the EU rule of
law mission, will do whatever is necessary to maintain peace
and order during the status process and beyond.


6. (SBU) COM reminded the Kosovo Serbs that their
participation and engagement on all levels is key to
realizing the rights being offered to them. She told them
that Kosovo Serbs could have a decisive voice in the future
government, if they participate in elections and win seats
beyond the minimum ten that are guaranteed. She asked them
to turn to established mechanisms such as the Kosovo Property
Agency (KPA) for reclaiming property (ref C),and promised
that the international community would continue its pressure
on Kosovo's government to fulfill its obligations on property
rights. COM also pointed out that the return process
requires trust on both sides - Kosovo authorities must create
the conditions for return, but displaced Serbs themselves
must be willing to return. She noted the examples of Srpski
Babush and Svinjare (ref D),where Kosovo authorities have
paid to rebuild homes for Serbs who have since refused to
return and live in them. On economic development, COM made
the case for privatization as an important step towards
preserving and creating jobs, noting as an example the
potential benefit that privatization of the Brezovica ski
resort in the Serb-majority enclave of Strpce could bring if
Serb leaders would agree to let it go forward.


7. (SBU) COMMENT. These central Kosovo Serbs seemed
genuinely interested in learning about the status proposal
and the rights it will grant them. Their questions were
focused and thoughtful, though reflecting the difficult
circumstances of their lives over the past eight years.
There is considerably more room for such engagement; part of
the public outreach campaign now underway is geared towards
the spread of just such reassuring messages to a beleaguered
and uncertain Serb population. USOP and COM will conduct
more of these town hall meetings in coordination with Fraktal
and other helpful NGOs who have lines into the Serb
community. END COMMENT.


8. (U) Post clears this message in its entirety for release
to Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari.
KAIDANOW