KOSOVO: NORTH MITROVICA KPS CHIEF EVINCES GUARDED

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRISTINA 000577

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DEPT FOR EUR, EUR/SCE, DRL, INL, AND S/WCI, NSC FOR BRAUN,
USUN FOR DREW SCHUFLETOWSKI, USOSCE FOR STEVE STEGER, OPDAT
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E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/23/2017
TAGS: PGOV KJUS KCRM EAID KDEM UNMIK YI
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: NORTH MITROVICA KPS CHIEF EVINCES GUARDED
OPTIMISM ON SERB POLICE PERFORMANCE POST-STATUS, BUT
ACKNOWLEDGES UNCERTAINTIES

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


1. (C) SUMMARY: North Mitrovica Kosovo Police Service (KPS)
Commander Milija Milosevic, speaking for the first time
directly with USOP on July 18, maintained that his officers
would continue to do their job regardless of the outcome of
Kosovo status. Eager to show goodwill, he asserted that, at
least "for now," there is good communication and cooperation
among security actors in northern Mitrovica, including KFOR,
UNMIK Police, KPS Mitrovica Regional Headquarters colleagues,
and KPS crowd and riot control (CRC) units. He noted with
some pride that he has participated in successful
status-related tabletop exercises with KFOR, UNMIK Police and
his KPS colleagues, and claimed he has contingency plans in
place for a variety of possible status day and post-status
scenarios. Further, he reported that he and UNMIK Police
Mitrovica Regional Commander Giulio Turessi recently
initiated a task force to carry out sensitive crime
investigations in the north that Kosovo Albanian Mitrovica
Regional Headquarters investigators in the south have been
unable to conduct. However, Milosevic was clear that
political developments in the event of an independence
outcome, which he privately admitted was likely, could
overtake his ability to maintain order and discipline among
Serb police. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Poloff met July 18 with Kosovo Police Service (KPS)
Captain Milija Milosevic (protect),the ethnic Serb station
commander in northern Mitrovica, to begin a dialogue on
security issues. Bosniak KPS Border Police Colonel Ergin
Medic, who lives in northern Mitrovica and has close ties
with KPS officers there, and Greek UNMIK International Police
Officer (IPO) Spiros Varsamas, Milosevic's mentor and
advisor, were also present. Medic, who introduced poloff to
Milosevic at our July 4 reception and helped arrange this
meeting, asserted privately that Milosevic is also a member
of the Serbian Ministry of Interior Police (MUP).

Milosevic: KPS North Mitro will do its job


3. (C) Milosevic began the meeting by indicating that he was
happy to participate in a direct dialogue with the U.S.
Office. He warned that, while north Mitrovica is relatively
calm now, the situation could deteriorate quickly, as it did
in March 2004. He noted that the multi-ethnic neighborhoods
of Bosniak Mahala, Three Towers, Suvi Do, and Coca Cola Hill
are potential flashpoints that he monitors closely.
Milosevic said he meets on a periodic basis with community
leaders from these enclaves, and his community police
officers regularly visit the neighborhoods to reassure
residents. He stressed repeatedly that KPS in northern
Mitrovica "are policemen, not politicians," and asserted they
would "do their job" in protecting all residents of north
Mitrovica regardless of the status outcome.

Communication and Cooperation in North Mitrovica are "good,
for now"


4. (C) That said, Milosevic acknowledged from the start that
the political environment remains fluid and "unpredictable."
Thus far, he maintained, communications and cooperation among
KPS and other northern Mitrovica actors, including local
politicians, KFOR, UNMIK Police, and the KPS Regional
Operational Support (ROSU) and Formed Police Units (FPU),are
good. Asked specifically about cooperation with KPS
counterparts on the south side of the Ibar River, his reply
was the same. Milosevic went on to report he is making an
effort to reach out more to the Mitrovica Regional
Headquarters and that he and UNMIK Mitrovica Regional
Headquarters Commander and international police officer (IPO)
Giulio Turessi had formed a special task force to investigate
crimes in the north, where it is impossible for Kosovo
Albanian KPS investigators to work. The task force, which
has been in place for a little over a month, is under
Milosevic's command and will focus on narcotics, smuggling,

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explosives and other sensitive crimes. In its initial phase,
the task force consists of three Kosovo Serb officers and one
IPO, with authority to investigate from north Mitrovica up to
Gates 1 and 31 along the administrative boundary line (ABL)
with Serbia. Milosevic said both he and Turessi are pleased
with the task force's results and will regularly review its
achievements with an eye to expanding its size in future.


5. (C) Milosevic was reluctant to engage in overtly political
discussion, echoing the same "good for now" message and
avoiding further elaboration. Pressed on whether he had
robust enough communication with local political leaders to
anticipate possible rallies or demonstrations, he spoke
solely about the legal requirement for parties to inform the
police of such activities in advance. On the basis of that
requirement, he claimed, police have been able to develop
good operational planning for most contingencies.
Nevertheless, he cautioned, the question remains whether
"radical parties" will respect this law in the future and
inform police of their intentions.

"Contingency Plans in Place" for Status and Beyond


6. (C) Interestingly, when queried on what he thought would
happen on status day and thereafter, Milosevic declined to
speculate, but noted with dark humor that "we all know what
the status decision will be." He reiterated that the
situation is "unpredictable," but pointed out that he had
participated in status-specific tabletop exercises with KFOR,
UNMIK Police and KPS colleagues, and said there were
contingency plans in place for a variety of possible
scenarios. He also noted that his station had received good
marks for its performance on a north Mitrovica-specific
exercise involving a crowd trying to cross the main bridge
from the south into the north. Milosevic closed by
reiterating his desire to keep open contacts with the U.S.
and international community.


7. (C) COMMENT: With the delay in status determination,
concerns about the reaction of Serb communities and
specifically the Serb police have receded for the time being
-- but they will reemerge sharply when we approach the
eventual end of this new phase of negotiations and a status
decision becomes imminent. UNMIK has already considered the
possibility that, in the event of an independence outcome,
Serb police may walk off the job in some numbers -- perhaps
as a result of direct orders from Belgrade or the northern
Kosovo Serb leadership rather than personal or professional
conviction, as Milosevic maintains -- but walk off
nonetheless. UNMIK has contingency plans that would place
international police officers in key police stations in all
three northern municipalities and north Mitrovica (currently,
international police operate only in north Mitro),but these
plans need to be evaluated on an ongoing basis in light of
political developments. We will continue our dialogue with
Serb KPS, as well as UNMIK and the ESDP planning team, to
ensure there is full coordination and advance planning for a
range of eventualities. End comment.
KAIDANOW