KOSOVO: RECENTLY LAUNCHED PILOT KPC REINTEGRATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRISTINA 000259

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/SCE, DRL, INL, AND S/WCI, NSC FOR BRAUN, USUN
FOR DREW SCHUFLETOWSKI, USOSCE FOR STEVE STEGER, OPDAT FOR
ACKER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2017
TAGS: PGOV KJUS KCRM EAID KDEM UNMIK YI
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: RECENTLY LAUNCHED PILOT KPC REINTEGRATION
PROGRAM PAVES WAY FOR LARGER, POST-STATUS PROGRAM


Classified By: COM TINA KAIDANOW FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The UK's Ministry of Defence (UKMOD)
launched a pilot reintegration program for 80 separated
Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC) members in January 2007. The
program, which the International Organization for Migration
(IOM) is managing, assists participants with finding new jobs
or pursuing small business opportunities, and will serve as
the basis for the much larger KPC reintegration program
called for under UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari's final
status proposal. Less than three months into the program,
there are some encouraging signs. Seven participants have
submitted activity requests (for training for employment or
self-employment, employment referrals or micro-grants for
small business development),21 have activity requests in the
pipeline, and another 24 are actively working with IOM
counselors to determine their best reintegration options.
Nevertheless, confusion over inclusion in the program and
inaccurate contact lists have hindered some participants, and
a few show no interest in taking part in the program. UKMOD
and the Office of the KPC Coordinator (OKPCC) indicate they
are likely to accept an IOM proposal to cease cooperation
with those who are not participating in order to make room
for others who are interested. They also report that they
hope to organize a donors' conference by fall 2007 to gain
additional support for the pilot program and raise awareness
for the larger, post-status reintegration program. END
SUMMARY.

UKMOD Launches Pilot KPC Reintegration Program


2. (SBU) The KPC and UNMIK's Office of the KPC Coordinator
(OKPCC) recognize the need to retire aging members of the KPC
to lower the average age and create opportunities for younger
members. Anticipating the KPC's disbandment and the creation
of a new, lightly-armed Kosovo Security Force (KSF) as set
out in the final status proposal, the UK's Ministry of
Defence (UKMOD) launched a pilot reintegration program for 80
separated KPC members in January 2007. It contracted the
International Organization for Migration (IOM) to manage the
program. The program's goal is two-fold: to help some older
KPC members find jobs or start new businesses, and to build a
knowledge and experience base for a much larger future
reintegration program for those KPC members who will be
unable to qualify for positions in the new KSF. The pilot
program has three components under which participants can
submit activity requests: training for employment or
self-employment, employment referrals including on-the-job
training, and technical and financial assistance
(micro-grants) for small business development. LTC James
Wood, a British officer in the OKPCC, told USOP he expects
between 800 and 1,600 to qualify for the larger, post-status
program.

Creative Activity Requests Are Emerging, but a Few Ex-KPC Are
Lagging Behind


3. (SBU) In their February 2007 monthly report, IOM noted
that seven participants have submitted activity requests and
21 have activity requests in the pipeline. One activity
request is for employment referral with on-the-job training,
and the other six are for technical and financial assistance
for small business development in the agricultural,
construction and service sectors. Another 24 participants
are working with IOM counselors to determine their best
reintegration options and begin drafting their activity
requests. Their ideas include starting a dairy and opening a
bakery in an area where shops currently import a popular
bread from Croatia. IOM is also researching possible
employment opportunities with a private company that provides
fire-fighting and rescue services, as well as in the forestry
industry, and in newly-created or soon-to-be-created
government institutions such as the Border and Boundary
Police.


4. (SBU) Although most participants have gotten off to a good

PRISTINA 00000259 002 OF 002


start, confusion over who was actually nominated for the
program and difficulty in locating some of the separated KPC
members has caused some to lag behind and resulted in slots
and resources being wasted on others. For example, two
participants informed IOM that their commanders said they
were erroneously included in the project, and seven report
that they are awaiting conversations with their superiors
before deciding whether to participate. One individual that
IOM contacted was not aware that he was on the project list,
and IOM discovered that six people on the list are no longer
in Kosovo.

Other Interested KPC Members May Join the Pilot Project


5. (SBU) During a March 5 project review meeting, the KPC's
personnel chief said additional KPC members have expressed an
interest in participating in the pilot program, and asked if
it might be possible to accommodate them. IOM suggested
discontinuing the participants who have shown no interest in
the program in order to make room for those who are
interested. LTC Wood said the UKMOD and OKPCC are likely to
accept this proposal, but unlikely to be able to accommodate
everyone who wants to join the pilot program. He has asked
the KPC for a list of interested members and expects to
receive about 20 names, but IOM's February report indicates
that only 10 current participants are uninterested in the
program. When asked about the newly interested KPC member's
motives, LTC Wood said he believed seeing ex-colleagues'
positive experiences with the program had encouraged some,
while others simply worried about getting a worse deal as
part of the larger, post-status reintegration program.

Donor Conference Coming


6. (SBU) UKMOD civilian official Richard Morris and LTC Wood
told USOP they hope to hold a business and donors' conference
by fall 2007 to gain additional support for the pilot project
and raise awareness for the larger, post-status reintegration
program. They will invite USOP and other liaison offices in
Pristina, as well as local businesses and international
organizations. Their goal is not only to raise funds and
awareness for these important reintegration projects, but to
identify employment opportunities for separated KPC members
in Kosovo businesses and government organizations.


7. (C) COMMENT: The reintegration of separated KPC members
will be important for peace and stability in Kosovo. In
addition to the security threat posed by former KPC members
-- most of whom have roots in the Kosovo Liberation Army
(KLA) guerilla force -- there is a potential political
problem. As we saw following the publication of the
Ahtisaari report, many members of the Kosovo Albanian
political class (notably PM Ceku and PDK leader Thaci) try to
one-up each other in their devotion to the "veterans, the
disabled, and the widows and orphans" of the KLA. As
promising as this program may be, we suspect that the focus
of war veterans' groups lobbying will be on generous
life-time pensions. A few entrepreneurs may seek
micro-credit to start businesses, but we expect some popular
support when the veterans call for labor-free sinecure. In a
preview of things to come, the Ministry of Finance has
already sought our support to head off calls for such
pensions, which would strain the Kosovo budget and be opposed
by the IFIS. Post will closely monitor the pilot
reintegration program and plans for the larger, post-status
reintegration program. Our assistance planning includes
support for demobilization; we will work with EUR/ACE, DoD
and others to coordinate our efforts. END COMMENT.


8. (SBU) U.S. Office Pristina clears this cable in its
entirety for release to U.N. Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari.
KAIDANOW