KOSOVO: PRESIDENT SEJDIU PUSHES BACK ON TWO TROIKA

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRISTINA 000622 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR, 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: 08/13/2017 TAGS: PGOV KJUS KCRM EAID KDEM UNMIK YI SUBJECT: KOSOVO: PRESIDENT SEJDIU PUSHES BACK ON TWO TROIKA POINTS Classified By: CDA Alex Laskaris fro reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Local Troika representatives delivered the oral message to the PISG as requested by the Troika principals. UT Coordinator Blerim Shala pushed back on two points, saying that the Kosovo side had already made substantial and painful concessions and that security in Kosovo was the responsibility of UNMIK and KFOR. President Sejdiu said that Belgrade, through its maintenance of illegal secret police structures in northern Kosovo and the enclaves, SIPDIS was also a contributor to insecurity in Kosovo. Sejdiu added that Belgrade had made no compromises during the negotiations. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) On August 13 International Civilian Office Planning Team (ICOPT) head Jonas Jonsson, accompanied by Charge and German COM Eugen Wolfarth, orally delivered points to President Sejdiu coming out of the August 11-12 U.S.-EU-Russia "Troika" visit to Pristina. Russian COM Dronov and his attache were both in Skopje and asked us proceed without them. ¶3. (C) Sejdiu promised to pass the points to his Unity Team colleagues, but he and UT Coordinator Blerim Shala asked why Pristina was being asked to move beyond its initial position when Belgrade had made no concessions during the rounds of negotiations under UN Special Envoy Ahtisaari. Because of its "enormous compromises," Shala went on, Pristina did not want to be considered equal to Belgrade or be misunderstood in this regard. Sejdiu reiterated that Pristina had already "given the maximum that we could." ¶4. (C) Shala also noted that the Troika's plea for the Kosovar leadership to "ensure peace and stability during this process" was primarily the responsibility of KFOR and UNMIK. While he said that the PISG would do everything within its power to ensure security, the Troika message should also be directed at KFOR and UNMIK. Sejdiu added that Belgrade is operating illegal secret police structures both in the northern Serb-majority municipalities as well as in the enclaves south o the Ibar River. ¶5. (C) Troika representatives said that they would report Sejdiu's comments back to the Troika as well as to our capitals. LASKARIS