NATO: THE DAY AFTER KOSOVO INDEPENDENCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L USNATO 000062

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/18/2018
TAGS: NATO PGOV PREL KV
SUBJECT: NATO: THE DAY AFTER KOSOVO INDEPENDENCE

Classified By: Ambassador Victoria Nuland, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: The North Atlantic Council (NAC) met in a
special February 18th session to discuss the situation in
Kosovo following the February 17th Declaration of
Independence by the Kosovo Assembly in Pristina. General
Craddock, SACEUR, and Admiral Fitzgerald, Commander JFC
Naples, briefed NATO,s Permanent Representatives (PermReps)
via video teleconference on the latest significant
developments and the current situation in Kosovo particulary
emphasizing KFOR activities in support of the Kosovo Police
and UNMIK. Following the briefings, NATO's North Atlantic
(NAC) negotiated (with some difficulties from the Spanish) a
one page agreed Allied statement reaffirming NATO,s
commitment to Kosovo under U.N. Security Council Resolution
1244 and KFOR,s responsibility to ensure a safe and secure
environment for Kosovo and all of its population. END SUMMARY

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NATO KFOR Performing Well
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2. (C) General Craddock and Admiral Fitzgerald briefed the
NAC that the situation in Kosovo remained stable and that
KFOR had not only increased its visible presence in urban
areas, patrimonial sites, and the Serb enclaves, but also at
the border crossings and along the administrative boundary
line with Serbia. Further, all of NATO,s regional
headquarters (Sarajevo, Tirana, and Skopje) and the Military
Liaison Office in Belgrade are in communication with each
other and so far no incidents have been reported. Describing
KFOR,s current posture as "robust" he said the troops "are
performing their job well" in support of UNMIK and the Kosovo
Police following three "minor" incidents in the North
involving incendiary devices, but without any casualties.
Lastly, Fitzgerald said that KFOR would continue its
heightened posture over the next 24 hours in order to prevent
tensions from escalating due to any wild celebrations
involving gunfire or anti-independence demonstrations. So
far, he reported that the celebrations have been restrained
and there have been no refugee movements. The CMC also
reminded PermReps that the next step for the military
authorities is a NAC decision following input from the
military committee on the implementation of the 120-day
Bridging Directive that would allow KFOR to adjust its
current posture in Kosovo in order to take account of the
changed circumstances.


3. (C) Admiral Fitzgerald also highlighted the ongoing high
level visits to Kosovo Serb areas by Serbian officials from
Belgrade, including Serbian Minister for Kosovo Samardzic,
saying that KFOR continues to work with UNMIK and the KPS to
ensure freedom of movement. He noted that the visits were
expected to continue over the next several weeks, but that
the messages from these officials have so far been calming
and reassuring to K-Serbs over their continued presence in
Kosovo. It is unclear at this point what the position of the
new Kosovo government will be regarding future such visits as
they imply a challenge to Kosovo sovereignty, a point noted
by the Lithuanian and Spanish PermReps during their
interventions. U.S. Ambassador Nuland, however focused on
the positive aspects of these visits as a demonstration of
the Ahtisaari principles in action, noting that the visits
send a positive message to Serbs about their ability to
remain in Kosovo and are consistent with the Ahtisaari plan
and its call for Belgrade's right to monitor Serbian affairs
in Kosovo.


4. (C) Admiral Fitzgerald also updated PermReps on KFOR
reserves reporting that the Italian operational reserve
battalion continues to reinforce Multi-National Task Force
North, particularly in the Mitrovica area, and that both the
UK and German operational reserve battalions have increased
their readiness in the event they are called on by COMKFOR.
Fitzgerald noted that the German operational reserve
battalion will deploy to Kosovo in March to replace the
Italians.

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NAC Statement Runs into Spanish Sensitivities
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5. (C) During the drafting of the agreed Allied statement,
Spain argued that any statement should focus on elements that
"unite us and not divide us' and that they had serious
reservations on the declaration of independence and on the
process. Their aim was to avoid any collective recognition
of Kosovo and therefore called for revisions in the draft
statement that might imply recognition by NATO authorities
such as referencing the request from Pristina for NATO,s
continued presence and the deletion of NATO,s continuing
involvement in "furthering the development of a stable,
democratic, multi-ethnic and peaceful Kosovo". Spain
received support from Romania for changes. Greece and
Slovakia pushed for getting to consensus, while also noting
their sympathy for Spanish positions. The UK pushed back
against the idea that NATO was implying recognition with the
text saying that NATO did not have the authority to force
recognition, but needed to be careful about sending the right
message and on setting the tone for stability. The UK
PermRep noted that while he had flexibility to change some
elements, London could not accept the deletion of "democratic
and multi-ethnic Kosovo" from the text since it was enshrined
in the Ahtisaari framework.

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U.S. Forges a Compromise On the Statement
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6. (C) U.S. Ambassador Nuland then introduced a compromise
proposal bridging the gap for Allies by removing direct
references to the Pristina request or welcome of KFOR,
highlighting KFOR,s continuing mandate under UNSCR 1244,
ensuring NATO,s support for standards implementation, and
preserving NATO,s objective to help in the development of a
stable, democratic, multi-ethnic and peaceful Kosovo. The
U.S. proposed changes gained rapid traction among other
Allies, (Norway, Germany, Hungary, France, Italy, Bulgaria,
Slovenia, Turkey, The Netherlands, Poland, and Denmark) who
viewed it as a good way forward to address Spanish and
Romanian concerns. Greece and Slovakia also supported the
U.S., and Romania confirmed that it could accept the changes.
Spain, however, initially remained opposed saying that while
Madrid could accept almost all of the text as proposed by the
U.S., it still could not accept any mention of a
"multi-ethnic and democratic Kosovo" drawing a parallel with
the ongoing discussion at the EU meeting of political
directors. Not until after a break for lunch which provided
the opportunity for consultations, a SYG phone call to the
Spanish Foreign Minister where he emphasized the importance
of having an Allied statement, and another UK intervention on
sending the right messages did Spain finally accept retention
of the contentious language in the text.
OLSON