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