Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07PRISTINA644
2007-08-24 14:14:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Pristina
Cable title:
KOSOVO: MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER THACI WANTS
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C O N F I D E N T I A L PRISTINA 000644
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: 08/24/2017
TAGS: PGOV KJUS KCRM EAID KDEM UNMIK YI
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER THACI WANTS
PRE-STATUS ELECTIONS, SAYS AHTISAARI PLAN WILL NOT BE ISSUE
Classified By: CDA ALEX LASKARIS FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L PRISTINA 000644
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: 08/24/2017
TAGS: PGOV KJUS KCRM EAID KDEM UNMIK YI
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER THACI WANTS
PRE-STATUS ELECTIONS, SAYS AHTISAARI PLAN WILL NOT BE ISSUE
Classified By: CDA ALEX LASKARIS FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).
1. (C) SUMMARY: Main opposition leader Hashim Thaci
reiterated to us August 23 his position that elections had to
happen during their constitutionally-mandated timeframe and
noted that Kosovo's Unity Team (UT) had already agreed to
holding them by the third week of November. Thaci promised
that he would keep the Ahtisaari package out of the campaign
fray, that his PDK party would not attack anyone over the
final status process, and that he would maintain UT unity
during and after the elections process. Thaci said his
preferred partner in establishing a post-elections government
was President Sejdiu's ruling LDK party, and that he had had
"very positive" discussions with Sejdiu on this matter
recently. Thaci's burning desire to be PM when Kosovo is one
day able to declare its independence is at the core of his
opposition to delaying elections until final status is
resolved. Regardless, we will push Thaci and others not use
the Ahtisaari plan and the final status process as a
political football during the upcoming elections period.
END SUMMARY.
2. (C) At a August 23 meeting with P/E Chief, main
opposition leader Hashim Thaci emphasized that central
elections in Kosovo could not be postponed, but had to be
held during their constitutionally-mandated timeframe. When
told that SRSG Ruecker might call for a mid-December date so
that elections would not interfere with the December 10
report of the Contact Group to the UNSYG on the current
Troika-led discussions, Thaci pushed back and said the third
week of November had already been agreed to by Kosovo's Unity
Team. He noted that he would meet with Ruecker later in the
day to make the case that the UT decision should be
respected. (Comment: Ruecker will make a decision on the
elections date by the first week of September; from our
dealings with him and DSRSG Schook, it appears that UNMIK
continues to favor the mid-December timeframe. End Comment.)
3. (C) Asked about how the final status process would be
dealt with during the sensitive period of elections, Thaci
promised that his PDK party would not use the Ahtisaari plan
for partisan advantage. He underscored his support for
Ahtisaari and said he would work to maintain the unity of the
Unity Team before, during and after the elections period.
Thaci was unsure, however, whether the two newcomer parties
-- former Assembly Speaker Nexhat Daci's LDD and wealthy
emigre businessman Bexhet Pacolli's AKR, which were not part
of the UT and had little to do with the Ahtisaari-led
negotiations -- would behave in a similar fashion.
4. (C) Turning to post-election scenarios, Thaci said his
preferred partner in forming a government was President
Sejdiu's ruling LDK party. He said he had had recent "very
positive" conversations on this matter with Sejdiu, for whom
he had "great respect." With two largest parties in a
governing coalition, Thaci said Kosovo would have a
comfortable parliamentary majority and would able to deal
more effectively with the challenges of implementing the
Ahtisaari plan.
5. (C) COMMENT: Everyone knows that Thaci wants to be prime
minister, particularly on the day when Kosovo declares its
independence. His insistence on elections per the
contitutional timeframe reflects this ambition. Thaci also
fears that -- in his electoral base of western Kosovo -- he
could lose votes to AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj if Haradinaj
were to be released from the ICTY before the next elections.
Thaci also has concerns about his own position within the
PDK, particularly vis-a-vis Fatmir Limaj. Regardless of the
internal political machinations, we will hold Thaci and
others to their promise not to use the Ahtisaari plan or the
final status process as a political football during the
elections process. END COMMENT.
LASKARIS
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: 08/24/2017
TAGS: PGOV KJUS KCRM EAID KDEM UNMIK YI
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER THACI WANTS
PRE-STATUS ELECTIONS, SAYS AHTISAARI PLAN WILL NOT BE ISSUE
Classified By: CDA ALEX LASKARIS FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).
1. (C) SUMMARY: Main opposition leader Hashim Thaci
reiterated to us August 23 his position that elections had to
happen during their constitutionally-mandated timeframe and
noted that Kosovo's Unity Team (UT) had already agreed to
holding them by the third week of November. Thaci promised
that he would keep the Ahtisaari package out of the campaign
fray, that his PDK party would not attack anyone over the
final status process, and that he would maintain UT unity
during and after the elections process. Thaci said his
preferred partner in establishing a post-elections government
was President Sejdiu's ruling LDK party, and that he had had
"very positive" discussions with Sejdiu on this matter
recently. Thaci's burning desire to be PM when Kosovo is one
day able to declare its independence is at the core of his
opposition to delaying elections until final status is
resolved. Regardless, we will push Thaci and others not use
the Ahtisaari plan and the final status process as a
political football during the upcoming elections period.
END SUMMARY.
2. (C) At a August 23 meeting with P/E Chief, main
opposition leader Hashim Thaci emphasized that central
elections in Kosovo could not be postponed, but had to be
held during their constitutionally-mandated timeframe. When
told that SRSG Ruecker might call for a mid-December date so
that elections would not interfere with the December 10
report of the Contact Group to the UNSYG on the current
Troika-led discussions, Thaci pushed back and said the third
week of November had already been agreed to by Kosovo's Unity
Team. He noted that he would meet with Ruecker later in the
day to make the case that the UT decision should be
respected. (Comment: Ruecker will make a decision on the
elections date by the first week of September; from our
dealings with him and DSRSG Schook, it appears that UNMIK
continues to favor the mid-December timeframe. End Comment.)
3. (C) Asked about how the final status process would be
dealt with during the sensitive period of elections, Thaci
promised that his PDK party would not use the Ahtisaari plan
for partisan advantage. He underscored his support for
Ahtisaari and said he would work to maintain the unity of the
Unity Team before, during and after the elections period.
Thaci was unsure, however, whether the two newcomer parties
-- former Assembly Speaker Nexhat Daci's LDD and wealthy
emigre businessman Bexhet Pacolli's AKR, which were not part
of the UT and had little to do with the Ahtisaari-led
negotiations -- would behave in a similar fashion.
4. (C) Turning to post-election scenarios, Thaci said his
preferred partner in forming a government was President
Sejdiu's ruling LDK party. He said he had had recent "very
positive" conversations on this matter with Sejdiu, for whom
he had "great respect." With two largest parties in a
governing coalition, Thaci said Kosovo would have a
comfortable parliamentary majority and would able to deal
more effectively with the challenges of implementing the
Ahtisaari plan.
5. (C) COMMENT: Everyone knows that Thaci wants to be prime
minister, particularly on the day when Kosovo declares its
independence. His insistence on elections per the
contitutional timeframe reflects this ambition. Thaci also
fears that -- in his electoral base of western Kosovo -- he
could lose votes to AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj if Haradinaj
were to be released from the ICTY before the next elections.
Thaci also has concerns about his own position within the
PDK, particularly vis-a-vis Fatmir Limaj. Regardless of the
internal political machinations, we will hold Thaci and
others to their promise not to use the Ahtisaari plan or the
final status process as a political football during the
elections process. END COMMENT.
LASKARIS