SERBIA: SAMARDZIC'S PROPOSAL TO UN: IT'S ALL DOMESTIC PARTY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BELGRADE 000297

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO PBTS PGOV PHUM PINR PREL SR
SUBJECT: SERBIA: SAMARDZIC'S PROPOSAL TO UN: IT'S ALL DOMESTIC PARTY
POLITICS


BELGRADE 00000297 001.2 OF 002


SUMMARY

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1. (SBU) Making full use of the ambiguity surrounding a
caretaker regime, Prime Minister Kostunica empowered his Kosovo
Minister and chief advisor Slobodan Samardzic to offer an
interim agreement with UNMIK. President Tadic's party has
complained that its government ministers were not given a chance
to approve the offer. Text of the proposal has been emailed to
EUR/SCE. End Summary.



THE OFFER

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2. (SBU) On March 24, Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) Vice
President and Minister for Kosovo Slobodan Samardzic told
Serbian daily Politika that the GOS had offered UNMIK a proposal
for "functional separation" of police, judiciary and customs for
Kosovo Serbs and Albanians. Although the GOS "accepts [that]
UNSCR 1244" gives UNMIK authority over these matters, Samardzic
said Kosovo's declaration of independence made it so they "can
only be implemented by Serbs with the help of Serbia." UN
Office Belgrade political officer told poloff on March 21 that
Samardzic had expressed the goal of the proposal was part of a
continuing dialog between the GOS and UNMIK, and to deal with
"the reality on the ground" in Kosovo.



DSS INSISTS PROPOSAL IS LEGAL

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3. (SBU) In a March 26 meeting with the DCM, DSS vice
president Milos Aligrudic spun the proposal as a "ministry
agreement" that did not require government consultations.
Aligrudic said that the Kosovo Ministry was the "competent
authority" to make such a "legal offer." Aligrudic claimed that
he did "not have details" of the proposal but that he understood
the basis to be "cooperation with UNMIK" to prevent "escalation"
in Kosovo. In response to DCM's continued questioning of the
legal status of the proposal and under what legal basis it was
being sent to the UNSC, Aligrudic could only shrug.



DS/G17 COMPLAIN

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4. (SBU) Both coalition partners of the outgoing government
complained that Samardzic's offer was not cleared by other
government ministers. Beta news service reported G17 leader and
Economics Minister Mladjan Dinkic (G17) said on March 24 that he
did "not understand" why the GOS made a "secret" offer to UNMIK
without government discussion. Democratic Party (DS) vice
president and Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac blasted
Kostunica and Samardzic for making the offer without
consultations, saying officials "who think that they can stage
everything behind the scenes are wrong." Sutanovac and Sports
Minister Snezana Markovic (G17) told the Ambassador that the DS
and G17 were up in arms over this. Minister for the National
Investment Plan, Dragan Djilas (DS),told the DCM on March 25
that the government had not been informed or consulted on
Samardzic's plan. Samardzic dismissed the complaints, saying
such policy could not be public "nor can we ask the members of
government if they agree with every step...When any kind of
agreement is initiated, the government only receives [it] when
it is in its final stages or has already been made."



EXCEPT FOR JEREMIC


BELGRADE 00000297 002.2 OF 002


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5. (U) Foreign Minister Jeremic (DS) has not complained about
Samardzic's proposal or lack of governmental agreement. Jeremic
told Serbian daily Glas Javnosti on March 23 that an "interim
agreement" between UNMIK and the GOS would be welcome, "to find
some common ground" and "clearly define mutual cooperation in
this new situation, so as to avoid new conflict with
unforeseeable consequences."



COMMENT

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6. (SBU) There are external and domestic motivations for this
(legally dubious) proposal. Kostunica and Samardzic want to
prolong UNMIK authority over Kosovo based on UNSCR 1244 and to
legitimize GOS parallel institutions in Kosovo Serb areas.
Domestically, the DSS is using the ambiguity of a caretaker
government's competencies to keep framing the pre-election
campaign about Serbia's struggle for Kosovo. This keeps them
ahead of the Radicals on practical policy initiatives and
attempts to squelch the DS coalition's pro-European message.
And Foreign Minister Jeremic seems to be trying to have it both
ways, claiming loyalty to his party and to the Prime Minister.
In any event, we expect Samardzic's proposal will die at the UN
as it seems to create UNMIK and Serbia as the only relevant
interlocutors on Northern Kosovo. End Comment.
MUNTER