MACEDONIA: POSITIVE REACTION TO KOSOVO STATUS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SKOPJE 000106

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/SCE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV MK KS
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: POSITIVE REACTION TO KOSOVO STATUS
PROPOSAL

REF: A. STATE 12957


B. 06 PRISTINA 1121

Classified By: P/E CHIEF SHUBLER, REASONS 1.4(B) & (D).

SUMMARY.


1. (C) The GOM, public, and media response to UN Special
Envoy Ahtisaari's Kosovo status proposal has been uniformly
positive. Government leaders are especially pleased with the
proposal's language addressing the issue of demarcation of
the Kosovo-Macedonia border. They are concerned, however,
not to jump the gun on the question of recognition,
preferring to stay "in the middle of the pack" and follow the
U.S. or EU lead. Now that -- per the draft proposal -- the
demarcation issue has been resolved to Macedonia's
satisfaction, we can expect the GOM to redouble its readiness
to play a constructive role in supporting the final status
process. End Summary.

AMBASSADOR BRIEFS PRESIDENT AND FOREIGN MINISTER ON AHTISAARI
PROPOSAL


2. (C) The Ambassador delivered ref A points on UN Special
Envoy Ahtisaari's Kosovo status proposal to President
Crvenkovski and FM Milososki in separate meetings late in the
afternoon of February 2. In addition to the points outlined
in ref A, the Ambassador conveyed the proposal's language on
border demarcation, which for Skopje has been a perennial
concern. Commenting on the demarcation language, which is
nearly identical to points Macedonian officials have proposed
to us in the past (ref B),she cautioned both interlocutors
against triumphalism or attempts to exploit the demarcation
language through public statements or posturing. She also
cautioned that the language is in draft, though she indicated
we do not foresee any significant re-negotiating during the
coming weeks.

POSITIVE GOM REACTION ON BORDER DEMARCATION LANGUAGE


3. (C) Both Crvenkovski and Milososki responded positively to
the language on border demarcation, and both agreed the
government should not publicly trumpet the inclusion of
language on demarcation that is nearly identical to their
previous proposals on the matter. Crvenkovski said the
formulation was "correct," that it did not allow for
reopening the 2001 Skopje-Belgrade agreement delineating the
border (ref B),and that it contained a useful timeline for
completing the demarcation process. FM Milososki echoed
Crvenkovski's remarks, noting the timeline, the reference to
the 2001 agreement as the basis for demarcation, and the fact
that the language called for a technical commission to begin
the demarcation process. He added that the GOM's public
response to the Ahtisaari proposal would highlight the fact
that it had "addressed our concerns."

TIMING OF KOSOVO RECOGNITION -- DESIRE TO STAY IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE PACK


4. (C) Crvenkovski said it would be crucial for Macedonia to
stay in close touch with the USG regarding when the timing
would be right to establish diplomatic ties with Kosovo. If
the Contact Group was unified and a UNSCR was easily passed,
it would be easy for Skopje to time its recognition
announcement. If not, however, the GOM would watch closely
the position in Brussels -- of both the EU and NATO -- as
"the way out for us." He was concerned that if Tirana was
among the first to recognize Kosovo, Macedonia would be left
in the remaining group of three countries comprising Kosovo's
neighbors and would face a difficult choice. The government
did not want to "burn bridges" to Belgrade, but it also
wanted to support US policy.


5. (C) Crvenkovski said he did not believe Belgrade's threat
to sever ties with all countries that recognized an
independent Kosovo, but he did believe the Serbian government
would want to "hurt Montenegro and Macedonia" if they were at
the front of the pack of countries recognizing Pristina. It
would be best for Macedonia "not to be in the first group,
but also not to be in the last group of countries" in that
regard. FM Milososki told the Ambassador that an earlier GOM

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position aiming at coordination with Montenegro on
recognition timing would be difficult to achieve. Podgorica
was preoccupied with other issues, he said, and there many
pro-Serbia elements in that country. Macedonia would
therefore look to follow an EU common position on
recognition.

NO LINKAGE OF KOSOVO STATUS TO GOM INTERNAL PRIORITIES


6. (C) Crvenkovski asked the Ambassador to convey to Prime
Minister Gruevski and to Foreign Minister Milososki the
message that it would not be productive to link other issues
(the name issue, a date for beginning EU accession
negotiations) to the status process. He said the Gruevski
government should be warned against diplomatic improvisation
or "clumsy statements." The Ambassador agreed, and said
Macedonia could best support the status process by
demonstrating that its political institutions were
functioning and contributing to political stability. She
made that point in her meeting with Milososki, who assured
her the GOM would avoid political rhetoric linking the status
process to other issues.

COMMENT -- SATISFACTION ALL AROUND


7. (SBU) Ethnic Albanian and ethnic Macedonian political
party leaders have been positive in their public response to
the Ahtisaari status proposal. Media and public reaction
have been equally welcoming. Now that the demarcation issue
-- per the draft proposal -- has been resolved to Macedonia's
satisfaction, we can expect the GOM to redouble its
willingness to play a supportive role in seeing the Kosovo
status process through to the end.
MILOVANOVIC