FM JEREMIC DISCUSSES THE KOSOVO CONUNDRUM AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L USNATO 000484

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/05/2017
TAGS: PREL MARR NATO SR
SUBJECT: FM JEREMIC DISCUSSES THE KOSOVO CONUNDRUM AND
PARTNERSHIP PRESENTATION DOCUMENT WITH THE NAC

REF: A. SERBIA'S PRESENTATION DOCUMENT (E-MAILED TO

EUR/RPM)

B. BELGRADE 1223

Classified By: Charge Richard G. Olson for reasons 1.4 (b),(d).

SUMMARY
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1. (C) Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic discussed
Serbia's Partnership Presentation Document and possible ways
forward on Kosovo with NATO PermReps on September 5. Jeremic
was forward-leaning on engagement with the Alliance through
PfP, but acknowledged Serbians' love-hate relationship to
NATO would not go away. While voicing "cautious optimism"
that a compromise solution could be found for Kosovo, and
arguing that negotiations would proceed more quickly without
a deadline, he did not offer any hope that Serbia would
accept independence for Kosovo. Virtually every NATO PermRep
told Jeremic that NATO bashing has got to stop and hard
compromises are necessary on Kosovo. However, some Allies
were soft on the negotiating deadline and on the need for a
new UN Security Council resolution on Kosovo. End Summary.

SYG SUMMARIZES A COMPLEX RELATIONSHIP
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2. (C) NATO Secretary General (SYG) Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
welcomed FM Jeremic to the NAC, saluting Serbia's Partnership
Presentation Document (PD ) REF A) as clear, concise, and
ambitious. He noted that Serbia needs to conclude an
Information Security Agreement in order to fully participate
in many of the proposed areas of cooperation. He applauded
the PD's strong commitment to meeting obligations to the
International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
(ICTY),and affirmed NATO's support for Serbia to take its
rightful place in the Euro-Atlantic community. Referring to
the vitriolic rhetoric emanating from other high officials in
Belgrade (REF B),however, he called on the Serbian
Government to "speak with one voice," reminded Jeremic of
Belgrade's agreement to avoid statements or actions that
might jeopardize security in Kosovo, and said that unless
otherwise informed NATO would assume that the PD represented
the authoritative GOS position on NATO. On Kosovo, the SYG
hoped that the November 17 elections would advance
normalization of relations between Kosovar Serbs and
Albanians. He affirmed full support for the current round of
Troika-led negotiations, but concluded that if they did not
lead to a compromise agreement, the Ahtisaari proposal was
"the best way forward."

JEREMIC PROFESSES "CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM"
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3. (C) Jeremic frankly acknowledged that Serbians would
"never forget the tragic events of 1999" (the NATO air
campaign) but said Serbs want "to look forward, not
backward." He insisted that the PD represented Belgrade's
"clear readiness to play a constructive role in building a
new security architecture for Southeast Europe," and said the
Information Security Agreement would be signed and a Serbian
Mission to NATO opened soon. But like most Allies, his mind
was on Kosovo. He expressed "cautious optimism" that the
current round of Pristina-Belgrade talks could lead to a
mutually-acceptable compromise, looked forward to direct
Serb-Kosovar talks in New York as a bellwether (although he
repeatedly referred to the Kosovars as "Albanians"),and
asked Allies to support lifting the Troika's 120-day deadline
to make the Kosovars "negotiate seriously." Jeremic closed
by quoting Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural address: "With
malice toward none and charity toward all..." Serbia would
contribute toward a lasting solution.

ALLIES CALL FOR AN END TO "NATO BASHING"
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4. (C) Ambassador Nuland told Jeremic that an open-ended
negotiating period would not produce results, and said
plainly that "NATO bashing has got to stop." She also hailed
Jeremic's optimism, and pointed to the many positive elements
in the PD, including its ICTY reference and ambitious program
of cooperation. She noted Jeremic's invocation of Lincoln
and reminded the Serbian delegation that Lincoln was regarded
as one of our greatest Presidents because he led the nation
through a period of difficult sacrifices. Sixteen other
Allies intervened along similar lines, virtually all calling
for moderation in Belgrade's public comments and for real
flexibility on the Kosovo talks. Spain asked about Serbia's
level of ambition with NATO (as the PD does not address that
point),to which Jeremic responded, "full membership" )
reminding the NAC that President Tadic had said as much to
the SYG. To those calling for implementing the Ahtisaari
proposal in the absence of an agreement, Jeremic asked

rhetorically why the Albanians would show flexibility if
Allies were going to give them everything they wanted for
stonewalling. Bulgarian Ambassador Ivanov unhelpfully
affirmed the position that Kosovo's final status should be
"validated by a new UNSC resolution." Other than that,
Allies did not break ranks, but a few showed where their
sympathies lie: Romania insisted that NATO was "not taking
sides, but seeking a secure environment for all." Norway,
Italy, Slovakia, and Spain also made calibrated presentations
showing they are Serbia's friends at the NAC table.
OLSON