RUSSIA SATISFIED WITH RESULTS OF BOSNIA PIC MEETING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 000662

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2018
TAGS: PREL RS
SUBJECT: RUSSIA SATISFIED WITH RESULTS OF BOSNIA PIC MEETING

REF: A. SARAJEVO 435

B. MOSCOW ?

C. MOSCOW 539

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Alice G. Wells


1. (C) Summary. The MFA expressed satisfaction that the
February 26-27 Bosnia Peace Implementation Council (PIC)
meeting (ref A) had provided "a clear picture" of the
benchmarks to be completed prior to the closure of the Office
of the High Representative (OHR),but stressed that Russia
still wanted to see the office closed by the end of the year
(ref B). The GOR was concerned by reports of a letter
threatening the Bosnian Embassy in Moscow (and a similar
letter to the Albanian Embassy) and was taking steps to
ensure security of the Embassies, but objected to Bosnian PM
Silajdzic's press accusation that "some in Russian
government, media and academic circles, were conducting
anti-Bosnian and anti-Muslim campaigns." Bosnia's Ambassador
to Russia continues to express concern over GOR efforts to
make Bosnia pay the price for Kosovo's independence. End
summary.

PIC Outcome Praised
--------------


2. (C) In a meeting March 6, MFA Bosnia desk chief Ivan
Gorbunov told us the GOR was satisfied with the results of
the PIC meeting, stressing that Dayton had to continue to be
the basis for the situation in Bosnia, and that any amendment
had to be done by all BiH parties. He said Russia believed
there was now a clear-cut, realistic plan towards realization
of closure of the OHR, but stressed that Russia still wanted
to see the office closed by the end of the year. He said
that success depended greatly on the EU's ability to reach
agreement on the transition, but the key final step would be
signing of an EU SAA with Bosnia.


3. (C) Gorbunov said Russia shared concerns at RS PM Dodik's
inflammatory rhetoric, but noted that it was not surprising
for the RS to seek to use the precedent of Kosovo's
declaration of independence. He noted that with the split in
the HDZ party, the Croatian faction was weaker and felt more
threatened.

Threatening Letter Received
--------------


4. (C) Gorbunov said MFA State Protocol had met with the
Bosnian Ambassador to assure him that Russia's security
services were taking all necessary steps to protect the
Bosnian Embassy in light of the reports of a letter received
by the Bosnian Embassy in Moscow threatening to kill all
Bosnian citizens in Moscow and destroy the Embassy by the end
of 2008, because of Kosovo (the hand-written letter, which
Bosnian Ambassador Enver Halilovic gave us a copy of, also
included a swastika and the words "Good Luck, Heil Hitler!").
Gorbunov said the Albanian Embassy had received a similar
letter. He decried, however, Silajdzic's reported statement
asserting anti-Bosnian and anti-Muslim campaigns by some
circles in Russia. He did not know if there would be a
formal reaction by the MFA, but said there was no
anti-Bosniak feeling in the Ministry, and the Russian media
was mostly silent on the situation in Bosnia.

Post-Kosovo Machinations
--------------


5. (C) Gorbunov clarified that in his visit to Belgrade
February 25 (ref C),president-elect Medvedev had not met
separately with Dodik, but that Dodik had been part of the
meeting with Serbian PM Kostunica and "about 10 minutes" had
been devoted to him. Gorbunov stressed that the main purpose
of the trip was trade and energy-related. Gorbunov also
disclaimed knowledge of a reputed statement by Russian NATO
Ambassador Rogozin in the Belgrade press indicating that the
RS was entitled to secession, as a result of the "Kosovo
precedent." But, he noted, it reflected Russia's long-held
position that Kosovo independence would embolden other
separatist regions to seek independence.


6. (C) In a March 7 meeting, Ambassador Halilovic expressed
concern over what he viewed as concerted Russian efforts to
make Bosnia pay the price for Kosovo's independence through
increased Russian encouragement of Republika Srpska (RS)
separatism. He pointed to Medvedev's meeting with Dodik as

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proof of Russia's biased approach to the Federation, noted a
February 18-19 conference in Banja Luka under the aegis of
the Russian Orthodox Church that was facilitated by Gazprom
aircraft, and cited inflammatory statements on Russian
state-controlled television encouraging RS independence as
the natural consequence of Kosovo. Halilovic noted that he
is constrained in protesting GOR actions given the absence of
instructions from (or consensus in) Sarajevo.
RUSSELL