SERBIA: UN PEACEKEEPING CHIEF GUEHENNO ON NORTHERN KOSOVO

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BELGRADE 000436

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO SR KV
SUBJECT: SERBIA: UN PEACEKEEPING CHIEF GUEHENNO ON NORTHERN KOSOVO

BELGRADE 00000436 001.2 OF 002


Summary

--------------




1. (SBU) On May 5, UN Under Secretary General for Peace-Keeping
Operations (DPKO) Jean-Marie Guehenno briefed Contact Group
ambassadors in Belgrade about his efforts to obtain buy-in for
"practical arrangements" for future EULEX and UNMIK involvement
in northern Kosovo. Guehenno, in Belgrade on his way from
Pristina and en route to London and Brussels, described his
talks with the governments in Kosovo and Serbia. He said
Serbian and Kosovar leaders had listened to his proposal, but
not yet "acquiesced." He provided few details of the substance
of his proposed letter from Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon that
would describe the reconfiguration of UNMIK, but emphasized that
the details of such a reconfiguration would be negotiated by
UNMIK's head after the letter had been sent out (after the May
11 Serbian elections). End summary.





Objective to Reduce Tensions over Northern Kosovo

-------------- --------------




2. (SBU) Guehenno described to Contact Group ambassadors to
Serbia on May 5 his efforts to develop a workable solution for
UNMIK to reconfigure so as to ensure that EULEX and ICO can
function effectively throughout Kosovo after the Kosovar
constitution comes into effect in mid-June. Guehenno stressed
that Ban Ki-Moon's office sought to be "status neutral" and its
role was not to resolve the principled differences between the
governments in Pristina and Belgrade over Kosovo's independence
and the role of the ICO and EULEX in Kosovo. He was not engaged
in "Ahtisaari II or III." But, Guehenno stressed, if the UN
secretariat didn't act, a situation would arise in which the
international community would be unable to function in Northern
Kosovo. The secretariat, he said, could not be passive and
allow tensions to rise, which would negatively affect Kosovo's
progress and possibly even lead to more violence. He sought to
use the "UN umbrella" to prevent a bad outcome.



Broad Agreement to Develop Practical Solutions

-------------- -




3. (SBU) Guehenno said his objective in meetings with the
governments of Serbia and Kosovo had been to get both sides to
agree to seek practical solutions for Northern Kosovo, and he
had not asked for any commitments from either government. He
had emphasized to officials that any solutions would be within
the framework of UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and would
not result in partition or co-governance. He said he had not
discussed any details of a future agreement with either
government. Guehenno said he would next travel to London then
Brussels to clarify what kind of arrangement would be acceptable
to the EU and the Contact Group.



Feedback from Belgrade

--------------




4. (SBU) In Belgrade, Guehenno met with President Tadic
(Democratic Party, DS),Prime Minister Kostunica (Democratic
Party of Serbia, DSS) and Kosovo Minister Samardzic (DSS),and
finally with Samardzic and Foreign Minister Jeremic (DS). All
interlocutors emphasized that Serbia still sought to annul
Kosovo independence and their participation did not equate to
recognition of Kosovo or agreement that EULEX should replace
UNMIK. Guehenno said the tone of discussions had been more
encouraging than he had expected. He said the Serbs were
prepared to discuss a process to move away from a crisis
situation. The Belgrade press reported May 5 and 6 only that
the meetings had taken place; as parliamentary and local
elections approach next weekend, all Serbian interlocutors chose
to maintain an uncharacteristically disciplined silence on the
UN initiative. When asked whether it made sense to talk with a

BELGRADE 00000436 002.2 OF 002


government that may not be around long, Guehenno reported that
he had told Samardzic and Jeremic: "at least one of you will be
in office after next week."



Next Steps: a Letter, then More Talks

--------------




5. (SBU) Guehenno said once he had obtained broad agreement from
all stakeholders, the Secretary General would next send a letter
to both governments shortly after the May 11 elections in
Serbia. The letter would suggest approaches to managing six
categories of administration of northern Kosovo--police,
judiciary, customs, transportation and infrastructure,
boundaries, and Serbian patrimony. In mid-May, the Secretary
General would also inform the Security Council of his
intentions. Next, the SRSG would begin negotiations to discuss
specifics in the six categories. There would be no excessive
expectations, no "big bang," he said. These talks would be
addressed to all stakeholders.



Negotiations Could Be Lengthy

--------------




6. (SBU) Guehenno said he envisioned a great deal of shuttle
diplomacy to hammer out the details. He cautioned that the pace
of negotiations could be slow, given that Serbia's next
government could take some time to form. It was unlikely that
any agreement would be concluded by June 15 when Kosovo's
constitution came into force. Guehenno freely admitted that any
arrangement was likely to be imperfect. He emphasized the
Secretary General's commitment to involve all stakeholders.



Comment

--------------




7. (SBU) Ambassadors reacted neutrally. Newly arrived Russian
ambassador Konuzin insisted that "this is not a Contact Group
meeting." Guehenno and his team seemed cautiously upbeat after
their meetings in Pristina and Belgrade, but did not
overestimate their chances of success. End comment.
MUNTER