DEMARCHE REQUEST: ENCOURAGING SERBS TO VOTE IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 146242 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL SR YI KO SUBJECT: DEMARCHE REQUEST: ENCOURAGING SERBS TO VOTE IN KOSOVAR ELECTIONS AND DISCOURAGING PARALLEL ELECTIONS Classified By: EUR ACTING A/S K. VOLKER. REASONS 1.4 (B),(C) AND (D) ¶1. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST FOR EMBASSIES ROME, LONDON, PARIS, MOSCOW, BERLIN, BELGRADE AND USOFFICE PRISTINA. SEE PARAGRAPHS 5 AND 6 FOR DETAILS. ¶2. (C) BELGRADE LEADERSHIP HAS INDICATED THAT IT MIGHT SUPPORT THE IDEA OF SERBS IN KOSOVO HOLDING SEPARATE AND PARALLEL ELECTIONS (WITHOUT UNMIK SUPERVISION),POSSIBLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH SERBIA,S OWN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS. PARALLEL ELECTIONS WOULD BE CONTRARY TO UNSCR 1244, REPRESENT A DIRECT CHALLENGE TO UNMIK,S AUTHORITY AND VIOLATE THE SPIRIT OF THE POLITICAL COMMITMENT ENTERED INTO BY THE SERB GOVERNMENT IN THE &NEW YORK DECLARATION8 ON 28 SEPTEMBER TO REFRAIN FROM ANY ACTIVITIES OR STATEMENTS THAT MIGHT JEOPARDISE THE SECURITY SITUATION. ¶3. (C) BELGRADE HAS ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT IT WOULD NOT SUPPORT KOSOVO SERB PARTICIPATION IN KOSOVO'S NOVEMBER 17 ELECTIONS. THIS POSITION IS AT ODDS WITH THE KEY USG AND CONTACT GROUP AIM OF OBTAINING KOSOVO SERB PARTICIPATION IN THE ELECTIONS. ¶4. (C) A STRONG, COORDINATED EFFORT BY CONTACT GROUP AMBASSADORS IN BELGRADE AND, TO A LESSER EXTENT, IN PRISTINA COULD DETER BELGRADE FROM SIGNALLING SUPPORT FOR HOLDING SEPARATE AND PARALLEL ELECTIONS IN KOSOVO. LIKEWISE, A COORDINATED CONTACT GROUP APPROACH MIGHT CONVINCE BELGRADE TO REVERSE ITS POSITION ON ETHNIC SERB PARTICIPATION IN THE NOVEMBER 17 ELECTIONS. ¶5. (SBU) POSTS IN LONDON, PARIS, ROME, BERLN AND MOSCOW ARE THEREFORE INSTRUCTED TO SOLICIT SUPPORT FROM HOST GOVERNMENTS TO EMBARK ON A STRONG, COORDINATED APPROACH IN BELGRADE AND PRISTINA, USING THE POINTS BELOW AS A GUIDELINE FOR THE MESSAGE TO BELGRADE AND PRISTINA ¶6. (SBU) POSTS IN BELGRADE AND PRISTINA ARE INSTRUCTED TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING POINTS, PREFERABLY, PREFERABLY AT THE CHIEF OF MISSION LEVEL AND IN COORDINATION WITH YOUR LOCAL COUNTERPARTS FROM CONTACT GROUP COUNTRIES, TO APPROPRIATE HOST GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AT THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE LEVEL: BEGIN DEMARCHE POINTS (TO BE MADE IN BELGRADE): -- KOSOVO IS FACING IMPORTANT ELECTIONS ON 17 NOVEMBER. PARTICIPATION IN THESE ELECTIONS BY ALL COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING ETHNIC SERBS, IS FUNDAMENTAL FOR A BETTER FUTURE FOR EVERYONE IN KOSOVO. -- AT ITS MEETING IN NEW YORK ON 27 SEPTEMBER, CONTACT GROUP MINISTERS EXPRESSED THEIR HOPE THAT ELECTIONS WOULD TAKE PLACE WITH THE FULL PARTICIPATION OF ALL COMMUNITIES AND AGAINST A CALM AND ORDERLY BACKGROUND. -- AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND, THE COUNTRIES OF THE CONTACT GROUP REGRET BELGRADE,S DECISION NOT TO ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION BY KOSOVO,S SERB COMMUNITY IN THE FORTHCOMING ELECTIONS. THEY URGE BELGRADE TO REVERSE THIS DECISION. PARTICIPATION IN KOSOVO,S INSTITUTIONS IS VITAL IF THE SERB COMMUNITY IS TO PLAY ITS FULL PART IN A MULTI-ETHNIC KOSOVO. -- THE COUNTRIES OF THE CONTACT GROUP ALSO NOTE WITH CONCERN STATEMENTS BY SERB MINISTERS WHICH INDICATE PLANS BY BELGRADE TO ORGANISE SEPARATE AND PARALLEL LOCAL ELECTIONS IN CERTAIN AREAS IN KOSOVO. -- SUCH ACTION WOULD BE IN CLEAR CONTRAVENTION OF UNSCR 1244 WHICH GIVES TO THE INTERNATIONAL CIVIL PRESENCE IN KOSOVO THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ORGANISING AND OVERSEEING THE HOLDING OF ELECTIONS. -- IN THE VIEW OF THE CONTACT GROUP, SUCH PLANNING BY BELGRADE IS ALSO AT ODDS WITH THE POLITICAL COMMITMENT ENTERED INTO BY THE SERB GOVERNMENT IN THE &NEW YORK DECLARATION8 ON 28 SEPTEMBER IN WHICH THE SERB DELEGATION UNDERTOOK TO REFRAIN FROM ANY ACTIVITIES OR STATEMENTS THAT MIGHT JEOPARDISE THE SECURITY SITUATION. -- THE CONTACT GROUP WISHES TO IMPRESS UPON THE SERB STATE 00146242 002 OF 002 GOVERNMENT ITS EXPECTATION THAT SERBIA WILL CONFORM TO ITS INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS IN RESPECT OF UNSCR 1244, AS WELL AS TO THE POLITICAL COMMITMENTS ENTERED INTO IN THE CONTEXT OF THE TROIKA PROCESS. THAT MEANS DESISTING FROM PLANS TO HOLD PARALLEL LOCAL ELECTIONS IN CERTAIN AREAS OF KOSOVO. ¶7. (U) BEGIN DEMARCHE POINTS (TO BE MADE IN PRISTINA): -- KOSOVO IS FACING IMPORTANT ELECTIONS ON 17 NOVEMBER. THE CONTACT GROUP EXPECTS THAT THESE WILL BE HELD IN COMPLIANCE WITH DEMOCRATIC STANDARDS. PARTICIPATION IN THESE ELECTIONS BY ALL COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING ETHNIC SERBS, IS FUNDAMENTAL FOR A BETTER FUTURE FOR EVERYONE IN KOSOVO. -- AT ITS MEETING IN NEW YORK ON 27 SEPTEMBER, CONTACT GROUP MINISTERS EXPRESSED THEIR HOPE THAT ELECTIONS WOULD TAKE PLACE WITH THE FULL PARTICIPATION OF ALL COMMUNITIES AND AGAINST A CALM AND ORDERLY BACKGROUND. -- WE URGE THE KOSOVO AUTHORITIES TO REACH OUT TO THE SERB POPULATION AND FACILITATE THEIR PARTICIPATION IN UPCOMING ELECTIONS. KOSOVO CAN DEMONSTRATE ITS COMMITMENT TO A MULTI-ETHNIC SOCIETY BY MAKING CLEAR THAT IT WILL RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF ALL COMMUNITIES IN KOSOVO AND WORK COOPERATIVELY WITH THEM IN DEVELOPING A MORE DEMOCRATIC AND PROSPEROUS KOSOVO. -- THROUGH AN ACTIVE CAMPAIGN TO ENGAGE THE SERB COMMUNITY IN THIS EFFORT, KOSOVO CAN ALSO UNDERSCORE ITS WILLINGNESS TO ENSURE THAT SERBS MAY LEAD A FULL, ACTIVE LIFE IN KOSOVO. ¶8. (U) POINT OF CONTACT: DAVID SCHROEDER IN THE OFFICE OF SOUTH CENTRAL EUROPE, BUREAU OF EUROPEAN AND EURASIAN AFFAIRS (202-647-0310). RICE