ADMINISTRATOR FORE DISCUSSES KOSOVO, POST-LISBON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 001072

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SCE, EUR/ERA, EUR/ACE, USAID E&E

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/14/2018
TAGS: PREL EAID ZL EUN
SUBJECT: ADMINISTRATOR FORE DISCUSSES KOSOVO, POST-LISBON
STRATEGY FOR W. BALKANS WITH COMMISSION

Classified By: Acting PolMinCouns Alyce Tidball for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).


1. (C) Summary: European Commission (EC) Director-General
for Enlargement Michael Leigh thanked USAID Administrator and
Director for Foreign Assistance Henrietta Fore on July 11 for
the U.S. pledge to Kosovo at the donors' conference, adding
that the EU and U.S. will need to continue to work with the
GoK to ensure accountability and to enhance administrative
capacity in Kosovo. Leigh highlighted the progress the EU
has made in Kosovo despite lack of agreement among the 27
member states on recognition, but noted that the EU would
face difficult challenges in deploying the EULEX mission and
dealing with Serbia's request to the UN for an ICJ opinion.
The EC will continue to informally monitor the implementation
of legislation in Kosovo and will look for additional
creative and informal ways to help Pristina on its European
path. Leigh emphasized that the EU remains committed to the
European perspective for all countries in the Western
Balkans, but the timing of membership applications has been
complicated by the failure of the Irish referendum on the
Treaty of Lisbon. End Summary.


2. (SBU) In a meeting on the margins of the July 11 Kosovo
donors' conference in Brussels, Commission Director-General
Michael Leigh expressed thanks to Administrator Fore for the
United States' $400 million pledge. Noting that Kosovo Prime
Minister Thaci and his government have been stable and mature
in dealing with the challenging circumstances in Kosovo,
Leigh emphasized that the reconstruction process will require
additional efforts and administrative capacity, and added
that all donors will share responsibility with the GoK for
ensuring accountability. Fore commended the Commission's
leadership in Kosovo and in organizing the donors' conference
and agreed with Leigh's assessment of the importance of
continued U.S. and EU cooperation.


3. (C) Leigh explained that the EU has been able to make a
good deal of progress on Kosovo, including support for the
International Civilian Office (ICO),agreement on the EULEX
mission and organization of the donors' conference, despite
the lack of full recognition among the member states. (Note:
In an aside, he noted that the EC had learned recently that
Malta would imminently recognize.) Leigh added that it will
be difficult, however, for the EU to take steps beyond what
it has already accomplished. He highlighted the challenges
ahead, specifically noting that Belgrade's push for the UN
General Assembly to request an International Court of Justice
opinion on Kosovo's independence was "inevitable." Further,
while the EU will continue to emphasize the need for the full
deployment of the EULEX rule of law mission throughout
Kosovo, Leigh said that it was difficult at the moment to see
how they would be able to deploy to the Serbian majority
areas. He did allow that the new, pro-European government in
Belgrade could permit some de facto cooperation on customs,
but it remained too soon to tell.


4. (C) Despite the challenges, Leigh emphasized that the
Commission would proceed with its unofficial Stabilization
and Association (SAA) process with Kosovo. Because the EU is
unable to enter into a contractual relationship with
Pristina, the EC will have be find creative and informal ways
to assist the country on its European path. Leigh explained
that the EC's Kosovo Issues team will continue to monitor the
adoption and implementation of legislation and the building
of administrative capacity on an informal and low-key basis.
Given the political constraints, however, the EC will be
unable to do more than this for the near-term.


5. (C) Turning to the Western Balkans region more generally,
Leigh highlighted that, despite the failure of the Irish
referendum on the Lisbon treaty, the EU has made fresh
commitments to the European perspective for the whole region,
including Kosovo. The European perspective for the Western
Balkans is not a deeply controversial issue with member
states, he noted, although the EC will face some challenges
with timing of applications later this Fall. Leigh estimated
that the EU could be faced with between two and four
applications for membership in the next six months. Albania
and Montenegro are eager to apply, but have shown restraint
in favor of waiting until next steps on the treaty are
determined. Serbia has also made some encouraging progress,
he said.


6. (C) Leigh explained that a country's request for
candidate status triggers a request from the member states
for the EC's formal opinion on that country's suitability to

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become a candidate. Even if the request for candidate status
is made later this year, the EU will unlikely take further
formal steps if the status of the Lisbon treaty remains
unresolved. Leigh said that the way forward would be more
clear in October, after Irish PM Cowen reported back to the
EU. He speculated that a possible resolution to the impasse
could involve the European Council issuing a set of
declarations that would meet some of the concerns voiced
during the Irish referendum, none of which involved EU
enlargement. This scenario implicitly assumes that the Irish
would then hold a seond referendum and approve the treaty.
Leigh emphasized that even though this seems the most ikely
course right now, it is by no means assred, and in the
meantime, the uncertainty affets the region's perception of
the credibility of the EU's enlargement agenda.


7. (U) Administrator Fore did not have an opportunity to
clear this message before departing post.

WOHLERS
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