KOSOVO: UNIFIED ASSEMBLY DECLARES OVERWHELMING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRISTINA 000261

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/05/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM UNMIK YI
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: UNIFIED ASSEMBLY DECLARES OVERWHELMING
SUPPORT FOR AHTISAARI PROPOSAL

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


1. (C) SUMMARY: In a show of overwhelming unity, the Kosovo
Assembly declared its support April 5 for UN Special Envoy
Ahtisaari's report, committed to implement fully its
provisions, and welcomed without reservation the
international civilian and security presence that will be
established in Kosovo as provided in the Ahtisaari settlement
proposal. After an intensive USOP lobbying effort to ensure
backing for such a declaration, attendance was a remarkable
101 MPs, of which 100 greeted the declaration (text at para.
7) with a standing ovation following the show of hands vote.
END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) In the wake of UN Special Envoy Ahtisaari's formal
presentation on April 3 to the UN Security Council, the
Assembly of Kosovo demonstrated unprecedented unity April 5
in supporting the Ahtisaari report. One hundred MPs voted
for a declaration noting that the report was in accordance
with the will of the Kosovo people, committing to implement
the settlement provisions and accepting them as legally
binding, and welcoming the international civilian and
military mission that will be established under the
settlement. (Note: The Assembly has 120 seats, but eight are
empty due to a Serb boycott.)


3. (SBU) At the outset of the session, each member of the
multi-party Kosovar "Unity Team" (UT) of negotiators
addressed the Assembly, emphasizing the historic moment and
Kosovo's readiness to join the modern community of
independent, democratic states. President Fatmir Sejdiu
noted the cooperation of the UT, the Assembly presidency, and
caucus leaders, and said Kosovo would be "a serious partner"
in implementing the proposal's provisions. Prime Minister
Agim Ceku called the proposal a "balanced solution" and a
victory of consensus and liberty. Opposition Democratic
Party of Kosovo (PDK) leader Hashim Thaci stressed Kosovo's
unity and invited MPs to vote in favor "so the world can hear
us clearly." Reform Party ORA leader Veton Surroi noted that
the issue of Kosovo united the United States with Europe, and
Christians with Muslims.


4. (SBU) The show of almost total unity was only broken by
one MP. Prior to the session, Group for Integration caucus
leader Ferid Agani warned us that ethnic Bosniak MP Numan
Balic, a member of his caucus, would be a problem. Agani
said he was considering dissolving the caucus if Balic did
not behave, and hoped he would simply stay home. With a few
other hardliners like PDK's Xhevat Bislimi and Liberal Party
of Kosovo (LPK) MP Gjergj Dedaj absent, and with even the
E.O.-listed People's Movement of Kosovo (LPK) leader Emrush
Xhemajli not opposed to the declaration, the perpetually
unhappy Balic was the sole dissenter in the session. (Note:
It is very unusual for Bislimi to miss a session; we believe
he may have been asked by PDK leaders to stay away.)


5. (C) COMMENT: With double the usual media presence and
extraordinarily high attendance, the Assembly's special
session was a true success. No one tried to add the word
"independence" or otherwise change the declaration text,
indicating that they understood the rationale for such a
decisive but nuanced declaration at this sensitive and
important moment in the status process. After intensive USOP
lobbying with the Unity Team, Assembly leadership, and
individual MPs, the usual suspects for disruption fell into
line. An overwhelming majority - 100 MPs - sent a clear
message that Kosovo is firmly behind President Ahtisaari and
the final status proposal, and indicated that they are ready
to take on the obligations inherent in the settlement package
regarding Kosovo's minority Serb population. END COMMENT.


6. (U) Begin text of the English translation of the Kosovo
Assembly's April 5 declaration in support of the Ahtisaari
settlement proposal:

Assembly of Kosovo, with this declaration


PRISTINA 00000261 002 OF 002


Welcomes the Final Report of the UN Special Envoy for the
Kosovo Status Process, presented by the Secretary General of
the United Nations to the United Nations Security Council on
March 26, believing that its recommendations represent a fair
and balanced solution that is in accordance with the will of
the people of Kosovo.

Accepts and commits to full implementation of the
Comprehensive Proposal for the Kosovo Status Settlement, and
declares that, assuming that the Settlement is acceptable to
the Security Council, the provisions contained in the
Settlement shall be legally binding upon Kosovo.

Welcomes without reservation the international civil and
security presences to be established in Kosovo, as provided
in the Settlement, and commits itself to cooperating with and
supporting those presences in every way possible, as they
carry out the tasks assigned to them in the Settlement.

End Text


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