KOSOVO: MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER THACI WANTS

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