SERBIA: IRF RELEASE PROMPTS COMPARISON, CRITICISM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BELGRADE 001009

STATE FOR DRL/IRF AND DRL/SEA

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV OPRC KIRF SR KV
SUBJECT: SERBIA: IRF RELEASE PROMPTS COMPARISON, CRITICISM

REF: STATE 99226

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (SBU) The release of the 2008 International Religious Freedom
(IRF) report (reftel) drew a strong response from the Serbian
Ministry of Religion and in the press. While expressing
dissatisfaction regarding the report's conclusions about the
discriminatory nature of the Serbian religion law, commentators were
particularly critical of the characterization of the state of
religious freedom in Serbia relative to its neighbors. Press
reports cast aspersions on the assessment of the situation in
Kosovo, with some outlets alleging that the report ignored
violations of religious freedom in Kosovo in order to justify U.S.
support for independence. End Summary.

MFA: FURTHER STUDY NEEDED
--------------


2. (U) On September 22, PolOff delivered a copy of the IRF report to
MFA North America Division Head Srdjan Miljkovic, as well as to
Assistant Religion Minister Dragan Novakovic and his advisor for
international relations Aleksandar Rakovic.


3. (U) Miljkovic thanked us for passing on a copy of the IRF so soon
after its release. He said that he would provide comments once he
studied the report.

MINISTRY OF RELIGION: WE WERE READY YESTERDAY
--------------


4. (U) In contrast, Novakovic and Rakovic clearly were aware of the
report's release and its content as they were prepared to provide
immediate feedback. Rakovic also had read at least the summary of
the reports for all of the neighboring countries.


5. (U) Novakovic emphasized that the GOS supports freedom of
religion and that there is a "stable situation" between religious
communities in Serbia. He said that it is important to realize that
there has been a "change in consciousness" regarding religion,
referring to the Yugoslav period. He also characterized the 2006
religion law as a "transitional law" and mentioned that the goal
would be to put together an expert commission to look into changing
or amending the law; he did not mention a specific timeframe.


6. (U) Novakovic and Rakovic expressed two specific criticisms of
the report for Serbia:

--- The report focuses on "two percent of the population" (referring
to the minority religious communities that have experienced problems
with registration);

--- The word "discrimination" is not used in reference to the
situation in Kosovo, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, or Macedonia,
which is not acceptable to Serbia.


7. (U) PolOff responded that he could not comment on the other
reports but pointed out that we take issue with the law and its
application, not the GOS per se. (Note: The Serbian report states
that "the law places limits on religious practice by discriminating
among religious groups and denies some groups legal status." End
note.)


8. (SBU) Perhaps in attempt to back up its words with action, the
Ministry on September 24 issued a press statement denouncing a
graffiti attack on the Christian Adventist house of worship in Sivac
during the night of September 19. Human rights organizations such
as the Center for Development of Civil Society welcomed the
strongly-worded statement, in which the Ministry also confirmed its
determination to undertake long-term measures to eradicate signs of
religious intolerance and to overcome religious prejudices.

MEDIA REACTION: FROM TAME TO INFLAMED
--------------


9. (U) The first reports on the IRF report in the Serbian press
focused mostly on its release. The daily "Blic," the Beta news
agency, and B-92 television ran stories that gave factual accounts
of the main conclusions of the reports for Serbia, Montenegro, and
Kosovo.


10. (U) The tone of coverage then changed drastically, stoked in
part by commentary from the Ministry of Religion. Articles in the
nationalist tabloid "Kurir" and the Novi Sad-based daily "Dnevnik"
mentioned the Ministry's objections to the Serbian report but gave
greater emphasis to alleged omissions in the report for Kosovo.


11. (U) The report in "Dnevnik," accompanied by a photo of a
destroyed monastery captioned "Kosovar example of religious

BELGRADE 00001009 002 OF 002


freedom," contained a statement by Rakovic that the Serbian people
and clergy in Kosovo face "constant ethnic and religious
discrimination," not "pressure from a bunch of rowdy underaged
looters," which is how he characterized the conclusions in the IRF
report.


12. (U) The "Kurir" article, entitled "Americans 'Embellish'
Pristina," went a step further, alleging that the State Department
doctored the report for Kosovo in order to justify Kosovo's
"secession." In support of this conclusion, the article quoted
Dusan Janjic, head of the Forum for Ethnic Relations, who stated
that the reports for Serbia and Montenegro were objective but argued
that the Kosovo report sought to justify the creation of an
independent state in Kosovo by painting an exceedingly rosy
picture.

Comment
--------------


13. (SBU) Serbian reaction to the release of the IRF, and the
fixation on the Kosovo portion, demonstrates the depth of emotional
attachment to its former province. However, as with Serbia's
initiative to seek an advisory opinion on Kosovo's independence from
the International Court of Justice, this approach threatens to
detract attention from other issues at hand. In the case of
religious freedom in Serbia, this means less time spent focusing on
how to reform the discriminatory 2006 religion law. End Comment.


MUNTER