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

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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