Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08STATE16235
2008-02-16 16:44:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Secretary of State
Cable title:  

KOSOVO: GUIDANCE FOR EMERGENCY UNSC SESSION

Tags:  UNSC PREL UNKIK YI 
pdf how-to read a cable
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C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 016235 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2018
TAGS: UNSC PREL UNKIK YI
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: GUIDANCE FOR EMERGENCY UNSC SESSION


Classified By: UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS NICHOLAS
R BURNS FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 016235

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2018
TAGS: UNSC PREL UNKIK YI
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: GUIDANCE FOR EMERGENCY UNSC SESSION


Classified By: UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS NICHOLAS
R BURNS FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (U) This cable includes background (para 2) and
talking points (para 3) about Kosovo in the event that
Russia or other UNSC members call for an emergency UN
Security Council session immediately following Kosovo's
declaration of independence but before the President has
decided on recognition.


2. (C) BACKGROUND: We understand that the Kosovo Assembly
will declare independence of Kosovo from Serbia on Sunday,
February 17. The U.S. and a majority of EU states will
formally recognize on Monday, February 18. The United
Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) is
not likely to make any official statements either supporting
or opposing the declaration of independence. Serbia has
stated firmly it will reject Kosovo's declaration, declaring
it null and void. No statements should be made that prejudge
the President's decision whether to recognize Kosovo.


3. (U) Text of statement for possible UN Security Council
session on Kosovo:

BEGIN POINTS:

Mr. President, the conflicts of the former Yugoslavia,
including Kosovo, have been on the Security Council agenda
for many years. The Security Council first responded to
the threats to international peace and security caused by
Yugoslavia's violent, non-consensual breakup in the early
1990s. Throughout that decade, war wreaked havoc
throughout the area, leading ultimately to a brutal policy
of targeted attacks and ethnic cleansing
committed by the Serb government of Slobodan Milosevic in
Kosovo. In June 1999, the Security Council adopted resolution
1244, which required the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to
withdraw its military, paramilitary and police forces from
Kosovo, and which suspended Belgrade's governance over Kosovo
and placed Kosovo under interim UN administration. The
resolution envisioned a political process to determine
Kosovo's status but left open what that status would be.

In the subsequent years, UNMIK achieved much progress
helping Kosovo recover from war and build democratic
institutions. Nevertheless, we have heard from UN envoys
Kai Eide and Martti Ahtisaari and the Secretary General

himself that the status quo in Kosovo was unsustainable
and that without quick action we risked a reversal of the
progress made in the last eight years.

For over two years Belgrade and Pristina have been
negotiating to resolve the status of Kosovo. UN Special
Envoy Martti Ahtisaari led negotiations for over 15
months. When the parties could not reach agreement,
President Ahtisaari submitted a comprehensive proposal
that enjoyed broad international support, including from
the EU, NATO, the UN Secretary General, and an
overwhelming majority of Security Council members. That
proposal included broad provisions to protect all
communities in Kosovo; President Ahtisaari recommended
that Kosovo be independent subject to a period of
international supervision. Much to our regret, the Council
did not adopt a resolution endorsing that plan. The
EU-Russia-US troika continued negotiations for four months
last fall. Despite the fact that the negotiators made
intensive efforts , this final round of negotiations also did
not produce an agreement.

These negotiations, however, did produce a comprehensive
set of recommendations for Kosovo's future drafted by
President Ahtisaari. This plan included comprehensive
measures to protect the rights, security and culture of
Kosovo's non-Albanian communities. He also recommended that
Kosovo become independent subject to a period of international
supervision. The United States has strongly supported
President Ahtisaari's plan for Kosovo.

We had hoped that the Security Council would endorse
President Ahtisaari's recommendations and help facilitate
Kosovo's path forward.

Yet in spite of a majority of Council members supporting
President Ahtisaari's recommendations, the Council did not
act. Therefore, the people of Kosovo -- who have long
been denied the clarity about their future needed for
their social, economic and political development -- have
decided to bring this issue to closure themselves. They
did so in a mature, non-violent and responsible manner.

Kosovo's declaration of independence is a logical,
legitimate, and legal response to the situation at hand.
It is not contrary to UN Security Council resolution 1244,
which aimed for an agreement between the parties but did
not require one. As we have said before, Kosovo is truly
a special case, and has been treated as such by the UN
since 1999. The violent and non-consensual break-up of
Yugoslavia, Milosevic's policies of oppression and ethnic
cleansing that led the international community to act, the
adoption of UNSCR 1244, under which Serbia has long been
prevented from exercising normal governmental authority in
Kosovo, and the UN-facilitated political process to help
determine Kosovo's future status - all are factors that
make the situation in Kosovo different from other
conflicts, and one that does not set a precedent for other
regions.

Kosovo now stands at an important threshold in its
development. Fortunately, Kosovo has a blueprint -- the
Ahtisaari Plan -- for its path to becoming a functional,
multi-ethnic and democratic country.

In addition, the European Union has made an extraordinary
offer to help Kosovo develop its rule of law sector and
implement reforms required for EU membership. The United
Nations should welcome this offer of support. New
international presences are required to protect the UN's
substantial investment in Kosovo and preserve the UN's
legacy.

In its declaration of independence, Kosovo committed
itself to upholding the highest principles of the UN
Charter. Kosovo has said it seeks to become a
responsible, peace-loving state. We should embrace these
commitments and work to ensure that the entire region of
southeast Europe can move forward toward a democratic,
prosperous and stable future.

End Points.
RICE