NRC: RUSSIA AND ALLIES WORLDS APART ON BOSNIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L USNATO 000630

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/05/2017
TAGS: NATO PREL MARR RU
SUBJECT: NRC: RUSSIA AND ALLIES WORLDS APART ON BOSNIA

Classified By: Ambassador Victoria Nuland for reasons 1.4 (b),(d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: In a November 28 NATO-Russia Council (NRC)
discussion of the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the
head of the Russian MFA,s Third European Department, Vadim
Gorelov, appeared as a surprise guest speaker and accused
High Representative Lajcak of "misusing" the Bonn powers to
further European integration. He called for the Office of
the High Representive (OHR) to "wind down" by June 2008.
Standing united, Allies fully supported Lajcak, rejected any
link between Bosnia and Kosovo, and chastised Russia for its
role in emboldening the Bosnian Serbs. Ambassador Nuland
called Russian encouragement of Bosnian Serb leadership
dangerous and urged Russia to use its influence to compel
Republika Srpska Prime Minister Milorad Dodik to cooperate
with the High Rep. END SUMMARY

Surprise Guest Attacks Lajcak
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2. (C) At the November 28 meeting of NATO-Russia Council
Ambassadors, surprise Russian guest speaker Vadim Gorelov,
head of the MFA,s Third European Department, brutally
attacked High Representative Lajcak, calling him a "culprit"
whose abuse of Bonn powers was making Bosnia more unstable.
He claimed that Lacjak had failed to consult with Bosnian
authorities and the Peace Implementation Council concerning
his plans. Arguing that external dependence was the source
of all Bosnia's troubles, he accused "NRC Partners" of
allowing Lajcak to use the principles of Dayton to subjugate
Bosnia to European integration criteria and force Bosnia to
accept EU principles. Gorelov said that the mandate of the
Office of the High Representative should be ended by June
2008, asserting that "guardianship is a thing of the past."
Clearly annoyed by the Russian breach of protocol, NATO
Secretary General de Hoop Scheffer cut short Gorelov's

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long-winded intervention. (Note: Russian DCM Soltanovskiy
later told us that Gorelov,s participation was also a
surprise for the Russian mission.)

Allies Defend Lacjak; Criticize Russia
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3. (C) Allies rebutted all of the Russian accusations.
Ambassador Nuland said Lajcak did not operate in a vacuum and
consulted extensively with the Bosnian authorities in an
attempt to hold the state institutions together, allowing
Bosnia to get back on its feet. Germany argued that Lajcak
was acting fully in line with the Dayton Accord. France
called for unity in the international community to monitor
the Dayton principles. Hungary said European integration was
the engine of reform in the Western Balkans. Italy, Norway,
the Czech Republic, and Slovakia also intervened to
vigorously defend Lajcak.


4. (C) Allies criticized Russia directly and indirectly for
encouraging the Bosnian Serbs, intransigence. Norway called
outside meddling unwelcome, while Canada pointed out that
Russian statements challenging the authority of the OHR had
not helped the situation. Condemning Russia for meddling in
"Europe's backyard," the Netherlands argued that Russia's
criticism of Lajcak undermined stability in Bosnia.
Ambassador Nuland called Russian encouragement of Bosnian
Serb leadership dangerous, adding that Moscow should be using
its influence with Republika Srpska Prime Minister Milorad
Dodik to urge his cooperation with the OHR.

Russia Plays the Kosovo Card
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5. (C) While trying to avoid directly linking the two
situations, Russia said Lajcak's actions were motivated by
fear of the "Kosovo effect." Turkey, Germany, France, the
Czech Republic, Canada, and Slovakia all stated definitively
that there was no link between the situation in Bosnia and
the one in Kosovo.
NULAND