CODEL PRICE CONGRATULATES KOSOVO ON ITS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRISTINA 000167 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/SCE, S/CRS, H, NSC FOR BRAUN, USUN FOR DREW SCHUFLETOWSKI, USOSCE FOR STEVE STEGER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV OVIP KV SUBJECT: CODEL PRICE CONGRATULATES KOSOVO ON ITS INDEPENDENCE, OFFERS POSSIBLE SUPPORT SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED -- PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY. ¶1. (U) Summary: On March 15 Representative David Price (D-NC) led seven members of the House Democracy Assistance Commission (HDAC) on a one-day visit to Pristina, the first congressional delegation to visit Kosovo since its February 17 declaration of independence. the visit reinforced with the Government and Assembly of Kosovo strong USG support for independence and encouragement for restraint in the face of continued provocation in northern Kosovo. The CODEL also discussed the possibility of establishing a partnership between the U.S. Congress and the Assembly of Kosovo, an offer eagerly taken up by the Kosovar side. The delegation began its day of meetings with UNMIK PDSRSG Larry Rossin, who assured the members that the UN would carry out its UNSCR 1244 mandate, including in tense northern Kosovo. The group also met with President Fatmir Sejdiu, Prime Minister Hasim Thaci, Assembly Speaker Jakub Krasniqi and five Assembly caucus leaders. Both Thaci and Sejdiu expressed optimism about Kosovo's future, including future relations with Serbia, and affirmed their commitment to protect minority communities. The program concluded at USKFOR's Camp Bondsteel, where the members were briefed by Deputy Commander of the Multi National Task Force-East (MNTF-E) Col. Richard Hays and a "meet and greet" with U.S. troops. End Summary. 2.(U) Led by Rep. David Price (D-NC),the seven member delegation from the House Democracy Assistance Commission (HDAC),which included Representatives David Drier (R-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA),Earl Pomeroy (D-ND),Lois Capps (D-CA) and Judy Biggert (R-IL),visited Pristina on March 15 to congratulate Kosovar leaders on their recent independence declaration and to explore the possibility of establishing a partnership between the U.S. Congress and Kosovo Assembly. (Note: Established in 2005, the HDAC has legislative assistance programs in 12 countries, including Macedonia, Ukraine and Georgia. The program focuses on building peer-to-peer cooperation, enhancing accountability, ensuring legislative independence, improving access to information, and promoting government oversight. End Note.) ¶3. (SBU) The delegation began its visit with a U.S. Office Pristina briefing, led by COM and also attended by UN Principal Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General (PDSRSG) Larry Rossin. Rossin gave an overview of the situation in northern Kosovo and the implications for UNMIK. Members expressed concern about the north and the capacity of UNMIK and KFOR to deal with continuing instability. Rossin reaffirmed that UNMIK would carry out its 1244 mandate and work with KFOR to ensure a safe and secure environment in all of Kosovo. 4.(SBU) Members later met with President Sejdiu and Prime Minister Thaci. The President and the PM expressed optimism about Kosovo's future, including future relations with Serbia, which Representative Price praised as an encouraging sign. Thaci expressed understanding for the plight of Kosovo Serbs, saying they want a future within Kosovo, but are being pressured by Belgrade not to engage. Both Sejdiu and Thaci affirmed their commitment to protect minority communities, especially Serbs. Representative Price told the PM and President how pleased the members were to be the first U.S. delegation to visit "the newest country in the world" and explained that the HDAC is interested in partnering with Kosovo. President Sejdiu and PM Thaci welcomed any such assistance, and Sejdiu said he was especially interested in the assistance that HDAC could provide to the Assembly committees and Assembly library resources. Representatives Lois Capps (D-CA) and Judy Biggert (R-IL) expressed interest regarding women in government and noted Kosovo's mandated 30 percent quota for representation in the Assembly. ¶5. (SBU) In a subsequent meeting with Assembly Speaker Jakub Krasniqi and Assembly caucus leaders, the HDAC members congratulated Krasniqi on the speedy passage of the Ahtisaari PRISTINA 00000167 002 OF 002 laws, which provide strong protections to the Kosovo Serb community. Krasniqi noted that 19 such laws had already been passed since the February 17 independence declaration, and promised more to come. "Seven Plus" (a coalition of parties from the Turkish, Bosniak and Roma communities) caucus leader member Dzezair Murati (Bosniak) told the delegation he was pleased that minority participation in government is growing and noted that such participation was especially significant in the Ahtisaari-led negotiations, the drafting of the Ahtisaari laws and the Constitution, and in the Assembly review of the Ahtisaari laws. Murati said that his caucus of Bosniak, Turk and Roma communities view Kosovo as their state and homeland. Caucus leaders from all of Kosovo's parliamentary parties expressed their gratitude to the representatives for the USG's support to Kosovo. In response to an offer of assistance from HDAC, Krasniqi was enthusiastic and said that he hoped that Kosovo could soon send a delegation to Washington. Identifying areas of assistance, Krasniqi said that Kosovo needed support in legislative drafting and tools to fight organized crime and corruption. (Note: The Independent Liberal Party (SLS),the Kosovo Serb caucus in the Assembly, was invited to this meeting but did not attend, having not yet made a definitive decision to re-enter the Assembly in the wake of Kosovo independence. The SLS made the decision to re-enter several days later. End Note.) ¶6. (SBU) Comment: CODEL Price's visit helped reinforce the USG position of strong support for Kosovo independence and the need for continued restraint on the part of Kosovo authorities in the face of provocations, especially in the Serb-majority north. We are encouraged to see the U.S. Congress, through its HDAC activities, reach out to the Kosovo Assembly, and we will follow through with any subsequent requirements the Committee might have. ¶7. (U) CODEL Price did not have an opportunity to clear this cable before their departure. KAIDANOW