KOSOVO: GROWING PRESSURE ON AND FROM KOSOVO SERBS,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRISTINA 000281

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: 04/05/2017
TAGS: PGOV KJUS KCRM EAID KDEM UNMIK YI
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: GROWING PRESSURE ON AND FROM KOSOVO SERBS,
EVEN IN CONTEXT OF USG AID PROJECTS


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


1. (C) SUMMARY: Recent instances in which Kosovo Serb
officials have refused to accept U.S. assistance if Kosovo
Albanians are involved in the projects or in the provision of
USOP/USAID security suggest that these communities are coming
under increased and deliberate pressure from Belgrade and
their own hardline northern leadership. Citing "orders from
above," school principals in north Mitrovica told USAID
implementers recently that USOP Albanian staff and security
were not welcome at upcoming events to mark the signing of
grant agreements with youth councils, since this might create
problems and cause security incidents. The official in
charge of education in north Mitrovica for Belgrade's
Coordinating Council for Kosovo (CCK) confirmed this state of
affairs to another USAID implementer. In another example,
the CEO of the northern Serb-majority municipality of
Leposavic, saying he was "under pressure from Belgrade,"
recently refused to co-sign a roadbuilding project because a
Kosovar Albanian firm had won the bid. Despite this
pressure, we will continue to fund quick-impact projects in
Serb areas of Kosovo to demonstrate our support for and
goodwill toward the Kosovo Serb community. This is a
critical time in Kosovo, and Serb communities are under
intense pressure from Belgrade and from hardliners in their
midst; we will not react to these statements by halting our
cooperation, but neither will we accept working under these
strictures. We suspect that some of the pressure may also be
coming from Kosovo Serb construction companies, which are
seeking to protect their limited market from wider
competition. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) On April 3 staff of Catholic Relief Services (CRS),
implementing a USAID-funded youth empowerment project, held
meetings with five high school principals in the
Serb-majority part of the divided city of Mitrovica.
Discussion centered around an April 19 ceremony -- to which
the COM is invited -- to mark the signing of grant agreements
with youth councils in the participating high schools. CRS
told us that all five principals expressed concern that at
this point in time, due to the "very tense political
situation, "ethnic Albanian staff and security from USOP
would not be welcome at the ceremony because this might
create problems with the project or even cause security
incidents during the event." The principals said they
understood the gravity of their remarks, but that there "was
not much they could do," since they had to act in accordance
with an order "coming from above." On April 4, staff of
another USAID implementer, IOM, met the principal of a
technical high school receiving USAID funding for
rehabilitation and also scheduled for an inaugural ceremony,
and was told the same thing. Predrag Stojetovic, the CCK
official in charge of education in the north Mitrovica
region, admitted to CRS staff on April 5 that this was indeed
the state of affairs, but that he could "do nothing because
of orders from above."


3. (C) In an even more direct sign of the political
atmospherics in the north, the CEO of the northern Serb
municipality of Leposavic recently refused to co-sign a USAID
roadbuilding project with a Kosovar Albanian company, despite
the fact that the company's bid came in at less than half the
price of the next lowest bid, from a Kosovar Serb company,
and municipal leaders had already agreed to it. The CEO
admitted to us that he was "under pressure" from Belgrade to
say he could not guarantee security for the company's
Albanian workers. Leaders in the village of Socanica, where
the road work will take place, are reportedly very upset by
the CEO's decision and do not agree that security is an
issue. USAID Director will travel to Leposavic today to
attempt to resolve the problem. Meanwhile, USAID has put a
hold on another roadbuilding project, successfully bid by a
Kosovar Serb firm, until the first issue is resolved.


4. (SBU) USAID Director traveled to Leposavic April 10,
where he met with the CEO. According to the CEO, he could

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not provide protection for Albanian workers or their
equipment. He also said that Kosovo Albanian workers and
contractors at KFOR's Nothing Hill facility had been the
source of community discontent. The CEO was clearly reading
from prepared notes; the meeting was civil and polite. He
also raised no objection to the fact that the USAID Director
had come up with Kosovo Albanian LES security personnel.


5. (C) COMMENT: While these examples should not be
exaggerated, they do indicate the extent to which Kosovar
Serbs, especially those in the north, are feeling pressure --
whether from Belgrade, from their own hardline leadership, or
from a combination of both -- to reject cooperation with
Kosovar Albanians and with the international community. We
have directed a good deal of assistance to quick-impact
projects in the north and in Serb enclaves throughout Kosovo;
we will continue to do so. Our work in the north, through
IOM and Mercy Corps has been almost exclusively with Serb
contractors; the use of Albanian workers or contractors has
not been an issue in the enclaves. However, our broader
policy interests preclude us from accepting as a condition of
our assistance to Kosovo Serbs that no Kosovo Albanians be
involved. Also, our interest in the responsible stewardship
of our assistance funds precludes us from disregarding a
winning bid because of the ethnicity of the contractor.
While we have always encouraged the use of firms from target
municipalities where possible, we have never told any member
of our LES staff -- Albanian or Serb -- that there are parts
of Kosovo where they cannot do their jobs. Delivering
assistance to these communities will remain a key Mission
priority to demonstrate our support for and goodwill toward
Kosovo Serbs. END COMMENT.

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