Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BELGRADE875
2008-08-28 05:25:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Belgrade
Cable title:  

SERBIA: KOSOVO MINISTRY MEETS WITH UNMIK REP, SERBIAN

Tags:  PGOV PREL PHUM KPAO SR KV 
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RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
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ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 280525Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0341
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0020
RHEHNS/NSC WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RXFEAA/AFSOUTH NAPLES IT
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BELGRADE 000875 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KPAO SR KV
SUBJECT: SERBIA: KOSOVO MINISTRY MEETS WITH UNMIK REP, SERBIAN
GOVERNMENT WANTS TO BE SEEN AS CONSTRUCTIVE

SUMMARY
-------

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BELGRADE 000875

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KPAO SR KV
SUBJECT: SERBIA: KOSOVO MINISTRY MEETS WITH UNMIK REP, SERBIAN
GOVERNMENT WANTS TO BE SEEN AS CONSTRUCTIVE

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


1. (SBU) Serbian Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic and UNMIK
Deputy Head Nicholas Haysom on August 25 discussed the return of
ethnic Serbs to judicial bodies in northern Kosovo and to the Kosovo
Police Service (KPS),the third UNMIK-GOS meeting in the past six
weeks. Bogdanovic reiterated traditional GOS opposition to the
transfer of authority from UNMIK to the European Rule of Law Mission
in Kosovo (EULEX) and maintained that Serb police would have to
report directly to UNMIK. Taken together with recent statements by
Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic and Serb leaders in Kosovo that Serbia
needs to reach agreement about the international civilian presence
in Kosovo, there appears to be a newfound dose of pragmatism in
Belgrade's approach. The upcoming September 3 visit by President
Tadic and Foreign Minister Jeremic to Brussels has the potential for
progress on EULEX: sources tell us the Serbs may lean forward on
EULEX in exchange for European understanding of Jeremic's ICJ
initiative at the UNGA. End Summary.

SEARCHING FOR A RECIPE
--------------


2. (U) In the run-up to the Bogdanovic-Haysom meeting, Serbian State
Secretary for Kosovo Oliver Ivanovic announced that that the goal of
the discussions with UNMIK was to find a "recipe" for the return of
Serb police that could then be used for the judiciary and other
services necessary for the survival of Serbs in Kosovo.


3. (SBU) EU sources familiar with the August 25 talks tell us that
Haysom sought to focus on areas where UNMIK-GOS dialogue can bring
concrete progress. He recommended that Serbia come to terms with
EULEX, preferably through face-to-face contacts, and tested the
waters whether Belgrade would be amenable to a new UNSCR endorsing
EULEX, which, although not needed from a legal point of view, would
provide political cover for a number of stakeholders.


4. (SBU) Bogdanovic reportedly stressed that the GOS supports the
position of Kosovar Serb police who are willing to return to work,
but only if they would report to UNMIK. He argued that reporting
within the KPS or EULEX chain-of-command would be tantamount to
recognizing Kosovo's independence. Bogdanovic outlined Belgrade's

preferred sequence of events as a General Assembly resolution on
referral to the ICJ, agreement on police and courts, and then
agreement on EULEX, possibly in connection with the next UNMIK
report to the Security Council in October.


5. (SBU) FM Jeremic's senior advisor Damjan Krnjevic Miskovic, who
participated in the talks with Haysom, told us on August 27 that the
Serbian government was intent on achieving concrete results from the
discussions with UNMIK in order to demonstrate to skeptical Kosovar
Serbs and others that dialogue produces benefits. He stressed that
the people within the GOS handling Kosovo policy now are very
different than Kostunica and Samardzic; the new team is intent on
solving problems. Miskovic emphasized numerous times the need for
the international community to take Serbia's position into account
on reconfiguration and the six issues in the UNMIK dialogue. "The
Kosovar Albanians have gotten their declaration of independence and
reconfiguration," he said; "we need something -- what we're asking
for is miniscule in comparison."


6. (SBU) Miskovic said that the Serbian government is eager to
continue the dialogue with UNMIK and sees both UNMIK Head Zannier
and Haysom as serious, constructive interlocutors who follow their
instructions from New York. Serbia believes it is necessary to
resolve the situation with the courts and police first in order to
create a solid foundation for work in other areas. He noted that
these competencies should remain under the UN umbrella, adding later
that "we are not children -- we realize that the UN may eventually
be present in name only."


7. (SBU) Regarding EULEX, Miskovic said that Serbia has no
objection to and in fact welcomes the presence of the EU in Kosovo,
"elsewhere in Serbia," or in the region; the only issue to resolve
is the legitimization of EULEX by the UNSC. He stressed that a new
resolution would not be necessary; other mechanisms such as a
presidential statement could suffice. Miskovic appeared to take the
point that as EULEX was approved by all 27 members of the EU, not
just those that have recognized Kosovo, it was by definition status
neutral; he explained that the GOS nevertheless believed the SYG had
overstepped his authority because he was directing EULEX to replace
existing pillars rather than to augment them, as was the case
previously with the OSCE. Serbia would not have objected had the EU
simply announced that it was expanding Pillar IV, he said.


BELGRADE 00000875 002 OF 002


JEREMIC: SERBIA HAS ROLE IN RECONFIGURATION
--------------


8. (U) In an August 21 interview with "Vecernje Novosti," Foreign
Minister Vuk Jeremic expressed confidence that it was not too late
for Serbia to influence reconfiguration: "the process of
reconfiguration of UNMIK began without us, but it should not end
without us." He added that he believed that it is realistic for
Serbia to reach an agreement with the UN Secretariat by September or
October regarding the international civilian presence in Kosovo.


9. (U) Jeremic stated that such an agreement would stipulate the
make-up and the mandate of an international civilian presence that
would not infringe upon Serbia's sovereignty and would not have the
authority to implement the Ahtisaari plan. The agreement would need
to be confirmed explicitly by a Security Council decision and would
imply participation of the EU within the UN within the framework of
the UNSCR 1244. Jeremic also said that Belgrade already has been
talking with UNMIK about the possibilities for an agreement.


10. (SBU) Vanja Radonjic-Rakic, Counselor with the MFA UN
Directorate, told us on August 27 that President Tadic, Prime
Minister Cvetkovic, Deputy PM for European Integration Djelic, and
Jeremic will discuss the entire range of bilateral issues, including
the ICJ referral, EU integration, EULEX, and cooperation with the
Hague Tribunal, during their visit to Brussels on September 3.
Diplomatic sources in Belgrade speculate that President Tadic may
make favorable noises about EULEX in Brussels, but in return will
expect concessions on the EU Interim Trade Agreement and potentially
even EU support for the ICJ referral.

TRAJKOVIC: FUTURE IS WITH EULEX
--------------


11. (U) Rada Trajkovic, Deputy Chairperson of the Serb National
Council (SNV) of Kosovo, went even further than Bogdanovic and
Jeremic, announcing that "I can see nothing wrong with the European
Union assuming, through EULEX, the brunt of responsibility for
stability in Kosovo," adding that she thinks that Belgrade will
change its policy toward EULEX after the UN General Assembly session
in September in order to accelerate Serbia's entrance into the EU.



12. (U) Trajkovic, who represents Serbs living in enclaves, couched
her forward-leaning statement by saying that cooperation with the
international community, including EULEX, is the only means for
Serbs to deal with repression by Kosovo Albanian institutions, but
she nevertheless drew the wrath of hardliners such as the Democratic
Party of Serbia (DSS) and Kosovo Serbs from North Mitrovica.

COMMENT
--------------


13. (SBU) There appears to be growing appreciation within the
Serbian government that it must engage with the international
community constructively if it wishes to influence events in Kosovo.
Belgrade's pursuit of the ICJ referral certainly does not help its
image in this regard. But the Serbs will not back down from their
commitment to an UNGA ICJ referral. Tadic may just give the
Europeans what they want on EULEX next week in Brussels in exchange
for tolerance (or better) of the Serbian UNGA initiative.

MUNTER