Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07PRISTINA303
2007-04-18 11:03:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Pristina
Cable title:
KOSOVO: CODEL ROHRABACHER SUPPORTS AHTISAARI,
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRISTINA 000303
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE, DRL, H, 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: CODEL ROHRABACHER SUPPORTS AHTISAARI,
MINORITY RIGHTS; CALLS ON ALL TO AVOID VIOLENCE
Classified By: COM TINA KAIDANOW FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRISTINA 000303
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE, DRL, H, 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: CODEL ROHRABACHER SUPPORTS AHTISAARI,
MINORITY RIGHTS; CALLS ON ALL TO AVOID VIOLENCE
Classified By: COM TINA KAIDANOW FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).
1. (C) SUMMARY: In Kosovo April 14-15, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher
(R-CA) conveyed a strong message of support for UN Special
Envoy Ahtisaari's package, saying it was past time for
Kosovo's status to be resolved. In meetings with Kosovo
officials, UNMIK, OSCE and US KFOR, Rohrabacher also stressed
the importance of respect for minority rights while calling
on all Kosovars to avoid violence. He noted that U.S. forces
cannot stay in Kosovo indefinitely. Rep. Rohrabacher
delivered the same messages to the public via live radio and
TV interviews. He also toured a USAID-supported recycling
company making money from Bondsteel's garbage. END SUMMARY.
Support for Ahtisaari plan, Time to resolve Kosovo's status
2. (SBU) During an April 14-15 visit to Kosovo, Rep. Dana
Rohrabacher (R-CA),accompanied by House International
Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight (IOHRO)
Subcommittee Minority Staff Director Phaedra Dugan, conveyed
a message of strong support for UN Special Envoy Ahtisarri's
final status package and said it was time to resolve Kosovo's
status. With all of his interlocutors and during live
interviews with Radio and Television of Kosovo (RTK),he
underscored that any violence would undermine support for the
final status process.
Kosovo's future rests on respect for Minority Rights
3. (SBU) In RTK radio and television interviews and in a
meeting with Minister of for Environmental and Spatial
Planning Ardian Gjini, Rep. Rohrabacher stressed that
Kosovars must respect minority rights and praised the
Ahtisaari plan for its decentralization provisions, which he
said will allow all Kosovars, including minorities, to
participate in their local government and make decisions
about their schools and police chiefs, just as Americans do.
Gjini thanked the Congressman for his personal support, as
well as for the longstanding support of the American people.
(Note: Government and Unity Team leaders were all in New
York for a conference; Gjini was the senior official present
in Kosovo.)
U.S. forces cannot stay in Kosovo indefinitely
4. (C) Rep. Rohrabacher noted in his meetings with Deputy
OSCE head Jens Modvig and USKFOR commander BG Douglas Earhart
that the U.S. cannot remain in Kosovo indefinitely, and
stressed that the Europeans must play a greater role in
policing their own backyard. He observed that he was
originally against the U.S. military intervention in Kosovo
and favored arming the Kosovars so they could defend
themselves, but said that the U.S. must see its commitment
through. He thanked BG Earhart for the sacrifice he and his
troops are making, and for the good work they are doing to
foster a safe and secure environment in Kosovo. He also
praised the troops for their community service projects.
Doing well by doing good ...
5. (SBU) The CODEL also visited the USAID-supported
recycling business that turns Camp Bondsteel's trash into
income for the residents of Ferizaj. Rohrabacher saw
compactors baling plastic bottles, plastic bags, scrap metal
and cardboard for sale in the region, and heard from the
business owner how the private sector could contribute to the
clean-up effort of Kosovo's trash-strewn roadsides, river
beds and public areas. Rep. Rohrabacher applauded the
initiative, both of USAID and local business, to use the
private sector's profit orientation to accomplish the social
goods of recycling and environmental remediation.
6. (C) Comment: Our policy was well-served by Rep.
Rohrabacher's repeated bundling of supervised independence,
minority rights and non-violence. His statement that U.S.
forces cannot remain in Kosovo indefinitely, but also that we
PRISTINA 00000303 002 OF 002
need to finish what was begun, was also a useful reminder to
Kosovo that it will eventually need to assume full
responsibility for governance and security.
7. (SBU) U.S. Office Pristina does not clear this cable for
release to U.N. Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari.
KAIDANOW
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE, DRL, H, 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: CODEL ROHRABACHER SUPPORTS AHTISAARI,
MINORITY RIGHTS; CALLS ON ALL TO AVOID VIOLENCE
Classified By: COM TINA KAIDANOW FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).
1. (C) SUMMARY: In Kosovo April 14-15, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher
(R-CA) conveyed a strong message of support for UN Special
Envoy Ahtisaari's package, saying it was past time for
Kosovo's status to be resolved. In meetings with Kosovo
officials, UNMIK, OSCE and US KFOR, Rohrabacher also stressed
the importance of respect for minority rights while calling
on all Kosovars to avoid violence. He noted that U.S. forces
cannot stay in Kosovo indefinitely. Rep. Rohrabacher
delivered the same messages to the public via live radio and
TV interviews. He also toured a USAID-supported recycling
company making money from Bondsteel's garbage. END SUMMARY.
Support for Ahtisaari plan, Time to resolve Kosovo's status
2. (SBU) During an April 14-15 visit to Kosovo, Rep. Dana
Rohrabacher (R-CA),accompanied by House International
Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight (IOHRO)
Subcommittee Minority Staff Director Phaedra Dugan, conveyed
a message of strong support for UN Special Envoy Ahtisarri's
final status package and said it was time to resolve Kosovo's
status. With all of his interlocutors and during live
interviews with Radio and Television of Kosovo (RTK),he
underscored that any violence would undermine support for the
final status process.
Kosovo's future rests on respect for Minority Rights
3. (SBU) In RTK radio and television interviews and in a
meeting with Minister of for Environmental and Spatial
Planning Ardian Gjini, Rep. Rohrabacher stressed that
Kosovars must respect minority rights and praised the
Ahtisaari plan for its decentralization provisions, which he
said will allow all Kosovars, including minorities, to
participate in their local government and make decisions
about their schools and police chiefs, just as Americans do.
Gjini thanked the Congressman for his personal support, as
well as for the longstanding support of the American people.
(Note: Government and Unity Team leaders were all in New
York for a conference; Gjini was the senior official present
in Kosovo.)
U.S. forces cannot stay in Kosovo indefinitely
4. (C) Rep. Rohrabacher noted in his meetings with Deputy
OSCE head Jens Modvig and USKFOR commander BG Douglas Earhart
that the U.S. cannot remain in Kosovo indefinitely, and
stressed that the Europeans must play a greater role in
policing their own backyard. He observed that he was
originally against the U.S. military intervention in Kosovo
and favored arming the Kosovars so they could defend
themselves, but said that the U.S. must see its commitment
through. He thanked BG Earhart for the sacrifice he and his
troops are making, and for the good work they are doing to
foster a safe and secure environment in Kosovo. He also
praised the troops for their community service projects.
Doing well by doing good ...
5. (SBU) The CODEL also visited the USAID-supported
recycling business that turns Camp Bondsteel's trash into
income for the residents of Ferizaj. Rohrabacher saw
compactors baling plastic bottles, plastic bags, scrap metal
and cardboard for sale in the region, and heard from the
business owner how the private sector could contribute to the
clean-up effort of Kosovo's trash-strewn roadsides, river
beds and public areas. Rep. Rohrabacher applauded the
initiative, both of USAID and local business, to use the
private sector's profit orientation to accomplish the social
goods of recycling and environmental remediation.
6. (C) Comment: Our policy was well-served by Rep.
Rohrabacher's repeated bundling of supervised independence,
minority rights and non-violence. His statement that U.S.
forces cannot remain in Kosovo indefinitely, but also that we
PRISTINA 00000303 002 OF 002
need to finish what was begun, was also a useful reminder to
Kosovo that it will eventually need to assume full
responsibility for governance and security.
7. (SBU) U.S. Office Pristina does not clear this cable for
release to U.N. Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari.
KAIDANOW