OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: STATEMENT REGARDING THE

UNCLAS STATE 020016

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OSCE PREL SR PGOV
SUBJECT: OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: STATEMENT REGARDING THE
FEBRUARY 21 ATTACKS ON EMBASSY PREMISES IN BELGRADE


1. Post is authorized to present the following statement
under current issues at the February 28, 2008 Permanent
Council meeting in Vienna.

Begin text:

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The United States condemns the attacks that occurred against
a number of foreign diplomatic missions in Belgrade on
February 21. We are particularly disturbed by evidence that
suggests police protection was pulled away from the U.S.
Embassy and other embassies in Belgrade that were attacked.

Mr. Chairman, we would like to remind Serbia that, as a party
to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, it has a
special duty to provide adequate protection to all foreign
diplomatic personnel and property on its territory. We hold
the Serbian government responsible for the safety and
well-being of our embassy employees and premises.

The United States thanks the Serbian delegation for its note
verbale circulated last Friday condemning these attacks. We
welcome Serbia,s pledge to do everything it can to find and
punish the perpetrators, as well as to ensure the protection
of the diplomatic missions in the future We urge the
Government of Serbia to continue to make statements
condemning violence against foreign diplomats.

We would welcome as well another pledge from Government of
Serbia: that officials at all levels live up to their
promises, made repeatedly during negotiations over Kosovo's
status, to refrain from inflammatory conduct or actions that
would incite violence.

Since the attacks of last Thursday, Serbian government
ministers have claimed that the international community did
&violence8 to Serbia in Kosovo, thereby implying that
violence against international diplomats is a legitimate
response. While the international community,s diplomatic
actions to resolve Kosovo,s status may not have been to the
Serbian government,s liking, violence is not appropriate
response. For all the accusations of "violence" by others,
however, it is ministers of the Serbian government -- and
ONLY they -- who have in fact condoned actual, physical
violence, whether on the streets of Belgrade or directed
against UNMIK personnel in Kosovo, including the attacks on
two border checkpoints on Feb 19 and on a third on February

25. We are particularly troubled by Minister Samardzic's
words welcoming the two border checkpoints' destruction as
"consistent with the general policy" of the Government of
Serbia and saying that: "the United States are to blame for
all troubles." By contrast, the ethnic Albanian community
has not responded to provocations. The Kosovo government has
again reiterated its commitment to build a peaceful,
multi-ethnic society and has passed key legislation to
implement the Ahtisaari plan. The irresponsible manipulation
of language by ministers of the Serbian government can only
redound against Serbia, in the form of increased
international isolation.

Finally, Mr. Chairman, the United States must condemn the
violent attacks aimed at journalists that took place
following the rally in Belgrade, and we call on the Serbian
government to ensure the protection of all members of the
national and international media.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

End text.
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