Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08STATE104222
2008-09-30 15:52:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Secretary of State
Cable title:  

A/S FRIED'S MEETING WITH BALKAN MINISTERS ON

Tags:  EUN NATO PGOV PREL AL BK HR KV MK MN SR 
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OO RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHC #4222/01 2741556
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 301552Z SEP 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE IMMEDIATE 0806
RUEHPS/AMEMBASSY PRISTINA IMMEDIATE 4714
RUEHVJ/AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO IMMEDIATE 9933
RUEHSQ/AMEMBASSY SKOPJE IMMEDIATE 5867
RUEHVB/AMEMBASSY ZAGREB IMMEDIATE 1635
INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 104222 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/29/2018
TAGS: EUN NATO PGOV PREL AL BK HR KV MK MN SR
SUBJECT: A/S FRIED'S MEETING WITH BALKAN MINISTERS ON
SEPTEMBER 25, 1500, WALDORF ASTORIA

REF: STATE 100723

Classified By: DAS STUART JONES FOR REASONS 1.4 (B,D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 104222

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/29/2018
TAGS: EUN NATO PGOV PREL AL BK HR KV MK MN SR
SUBJECT: A/S FRIED'S MEETING WITH BALKAN MINISTERS ON
SEPTEMBER 25, 1500, WALDORF ASTORIA

REF: STATE 100723

Classified By: DAS STUART JONES FOR REASONS 1.4 (B,D)


1. (U) Participants:

U.S.
--------------
Assistant Secretary Daniel Fried
Deputy Assistant Secretary Stuart Jones
Cathy Westley, EUR/SCE

Adriatic Charter 3:
--------------
Albania: Foreign Minister Lulzim Basha
Croatia: Foreign Minister Gordan Jandrokovic
Macedonia: Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki

PfP3:
--------------
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Foreign Minister Sven Alkalaj
Montenegro: Foreign Minister Milan Rocen
Serbia: Assistant Foreign Minister Fedor Starcevic


2. (C) Summary: The foreign ministers from Adriatic Charter
countries Albania, Croatia and Macedonia (A3) agreed to
expand the Adriatic Charter to include Bosnia and Herzegovina
and Montenegro and to leave the door open for Serbia, during
a 60 minute meeting on the margins of UNGA September 25.
Assistant Secretary Daniel Fried called the Charter a success
important for regional stability. The A3 also discussed
difficulties with Serbia over Kosovo recognition and Serbia's
sometimes inconsistent "pro-Europe" policy direction.
Macedonian FM said the GoM planned to recognize Kosovo in
early October, perhaps along with Portugal and Montenegro,
despite threats from Serbia. Joining the meeting, the
Bosnian and Montenegrin FMs expressed gratitude for the
invitation to join the Charter. Serbian Assistant FM, who
also joined later, said Serbia planned to continue active
Adriatic Charter observer status and step up efforts in the
PfP framework, but cautioned that Serbia was "burdened" by
Kosovo's recognition by a majority of NATO countries. The A3
and U.S. issued a press release (para 9) noting the decision
to invite Bosnia and Montenegro. All agreed on the next
steps to formalize the expansion of the Adriatic Charter (see
para 8). End Summary.

Charter Expansion; Macedonia Name Issue

--------------


3. (C) Meeting first with A3 countries Albania, Croatia and
Macedonia only, A/S Fried called the Adriatic Charter "a
two-thirds plus" success. Croatia and Albania received NATO
invitations; Macedonia fulfilled its membership requirements
and would be invited once its bilateral name issue with
Greece was resolved. A/S Friend said that NATO enlargement
should continue to include other countries in the region when
they are ready and if they want it. Montenegro is in good
shape; political stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is
eroding. Serbia is a good neighbor on some days and
threatening on other days. A/S Fried concluded that
expanding the Adriatic Charter to include Montenegro and
Bosnia with an door open to Serbia will help strengthen
regional cooperation and stability.


4. (C) The A3 representatives agreed. Macedonian FM
Milososki expressed gratitude for the Adriatic Charter's
success. Macedonia would continue working on its name issue
with Greece and welcomed expanding the Charter. Croatian FM
Jandrokovic noted the Charter's importance for regional
cooperation and said Croatia is ready to invite Bosnia and
Montenegro to join. Fully supporting Macedonia's NATO
aspirations, he urged that compromise be found with Greece
regarding the name issue and said he pressed Greek Foreign
Minister Bakoyannis as well. Milososki responded that,
according to a recent poll, 85 percent of the Macedonian
public supports NATO accession. However, when asked whether
Macedonia should change its name to accomplish NATO
membership, 75 percent responded no. Albanian FM Basha said
he felt the GoA had an obligation to continue and expand the
Charter to assist additional countries. Basha continued that
Albania is willing to take more ownership of the Adriatic
Charter but still wanted U.S. involvement. FM Milososki

STATE 00104222 002 OF 003


offered that Macedonia, as the current Adriatic Charter
chair, would draft a diplomatic note on behalf of the A3
formally inviting Bosnia and Montenegro to join.

A3 on Serbia and Kosovo Recognition
--------------


5. (C) Milososki said the GoM planned to recognize Kosovo
soon despite threats from Serbia. Jandrokovic said Serbia
had also threatened Croatia over Kosovo recognition.
Milososki said that Macedonia may recognize Kosovo as a group
with Portugal -- and hopefully Montenegro if the GOM is ready
-- in early October. Basha added that Serbian officials told
him that they would be more upset with Montenegro recognizing
Kosovo than Macedonia.

PfP 3: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia
--------------


6. (C) During the second half of the meeting, Bosnian FM
Alkalaj welcomed the invitation to join the Charter. He
noted that with the start of its Intensified Dialogue with
NATO, Bosnia was ready to participate. Montenegrin FM Rocen
said it was a "great day for Montenegro and the region,"
noting Montenegro's participation is both a recognition of
its progress and a great obligation. He congratulated
Albania and Croatia for receiving NATO invitations and said
he hoped Macedonia could overcome the name issue with Greece.
He emphasized it was important for Serbia to join when
"dynamics improve."


7. (C) Serbian Assistant FM Starcevic apologized that FM
Jeremic could not attend and read a two-page prepared
statement in English. He said Serbia welcomed such meetings
as an opportunity to discuss common issues. Serbia plans to
continue its active observer status in the Adriatic Charter
and step up its involvement with PfP activity. Serbia will
formalize its participation in PfP at the October 1 signing
of a framework agreement and move ahead on an Individual
Partnership Action plan. However, he noted, Serbian
activities are "burdened" by Kosovo's recognition by a
majority of NATO countries. Nevertheless, Serbia's active
cooperation in Western Balkans regional activities was
consistent with Serbia's EU aspirations. A/S Fried replied
that the U.S. takes seriously Serbia's willingness to
cooperate and emphasized the door was open when Serbia was
ready; there are no roadblocks to Serbia's European
integration.

Next Steps to Expand the Adriatic Charter
--------------


8. (SBU) A/S Fried said he was prepared to attend a
minister-level meeting of the expanded Adriatic Charter
before the end of 2008, perhaps on the margins of the OSCE
foreign ministerial in Helsinki in early December. The FMs
agreed. Participants agreed to the following process to
formally expand the Charter:

-- As current rotating chair, Macedonia would draft a
diplomatic note invitation to Bosnia and Montenegro,
circulate it to the A3 and the U.S., and, when finalized,
deliver it to Bosnia and Montenegro;

-- Bosnia and Montenegro will reply back via diplomatic note
in the affirmative;

-- Each country will pulse their MFA legal departments to
gain clarity on the exact mechanism to codify the expansion,
i.e., an addendum to the Charter, joint statement or other
mechanism;

-- Once the mechanism is decided, language will be circulated
beforehand to be agreed upon prior to the expanded meeting in
Helsinki;

-- An expanded Adriatic Charter meeting and signing ceremony
will be held in Helsinki on the margins of the OSCE Foreign
Ministerial December 4-5.


9. (U) Full text of joint statement from Albania, Croatia,
Macedonia and the U.S. on expansion of the Adriatic Charter
follows.

Begin Text:

For Immediate Release
2008/788

STATE 00104222 003 OF 003


September 25, 2008

Statement by Sean McCormack, Spokesman

Invitation to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro to Join
Adriatic Charter

At a ministerial meeting on September 25 in New York, under
the chairmanship of Macedonia, the Member States of the
Adriatic Charter -- Albania, Croatia, Macedonia and the
United States -- decided to extend an invitation to Bosnia
and Herzegovina and Montenegro to join the Charter.

This decision was made in the firm belief that this expansion
of the Charter will further strengthen mutual cooperation and
advance Euro-Atlantic integration.

End Text.
RICE