CZECH MFA EASTERN EUROPE DIRECTOR ON THE BALKANS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 000236

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/18/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PBTS EUN AL HR KK SR SI EZ
SUBJECT: CZECH MFA EASTERN EUROPE DIRECTOR ON THE BALKANS

Classified By: POL M-C Christopher Davis for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C/NF) Summary: In a dinner with Poloff February 18,
Czech MFA Eastern and Southeastern Europe Director Tomas
Szunyog was most interested in learning U.S. views about
Bosnia. While acknowledging that a decision to close the
Office of the High Representative (OHR) was unlikely at the
March Peace Implementation Council (PIC) meeting, Szunyog
expressed his interest in seeing a decision reached by the
June PIC meeting. Szunyog believes Serbia will relent in its
opposition to Kosovo independence once a decision from the
International Court of Justice (ICJ) is reached and Serbia
resumes the EU accession process. He reported that Croatia
will most likely seek an ICJ decision related to its maritime
border dispute with Slovenia and suggested that Albania would
be more cooperative on contentious issues such as the
lustration law if the U.S. were to suggest that this could
affect Albanian NATO accession. Szunyog said that the
Western Balkans would figure prominently at the March
Gymnich, the Czech MFA considering inviting the Foreign
Ministers (FMs) of all Balkan states to the informal for a
working lunch. End Summary.

Bosnia
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2. (C/NF) Szunyog was most interested in learning whether
there was any change in U.S. views on an eventual OHR
closure, given recent progress on the Brcko issue. While
acknowledging that a closure decision was unlikely at the
March PIC due to the unresolved status of state and defense
property, and with the selection of a new EU Special
Representative ongoing, Szunyog expressed hope that one could
be reached during the June PIC. To underscore this point,
Szunyog explained that it would be nice to resolve the issue
before the Swedish presidency as FM Bildt was even more
interested in a speedy OHR closure.

Kosovo and Serbia
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3. (C/NF) On Kosovo, Szunyog agreed that the EU Rule of Law
Mission (EULEX) needed to make its presence felt throughout
the country, especially in the north. In his view, the Serbs
will mellow in their opposition to all things Kosovo once the
ICJ process becomes more clear, Szunyog expressing hope that
any finding would be sufficiently vague to allow everyone to
declare victory. In his view, the Serbs will ultimately
relent and this will become clear in their membership
application since the first question in the EU's membership
application requires applicants to define their
territory/population.


4. (C/NF) Regarding EU Enlargement Commissioner Rehn's
February 12 visit to Belgrade, Szunyog confirmed that Rehn
met with Serbian President Tadic privately and passed the
message that Serbian FM Jeremic's antics were not going over
well in Brussels. He did not know if Rehn passed a message
tying better cooperation with EULEX in the north with Serbian
EU aspirations. Concerning Jeremic, Szunyog said he never
knew which Jeremic he would be dealing with at a given
meeting, Szunyog describing Jeremic as being "very cordial"
at some and "very unprofessional" at others.

Slovenia-Croatia Border Dispute
--------------


5. (C/NF) On the Slovenia-Croatia border dispute, Szunyog
did not believe that the Croats would be interested in any
EU-sponsored arbitration efforts as "they believe they have a
strong case they can win if they go the ICJ route." To get
the Croats to come around, Szunyog suggested that the Croats
would want some sort of political guarantee. He cautioned
that the Slovenian parliament's recent ratification of
Croatian NATO accession might not totally be over, suggesting
that referendums (binding or non-binding) were always a
possibility in Slovenia as only 15,000 signatures were
necessary to make this happen. Szunyog also reported that he
expected the ICTY situation to clear up by March, possibly
reducing United Kingdom and Dutch opposition to the opening
of further accession chapters.

March Gymnich
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6. (C/NF) Concerning the March Gymnich, Szunyog said that

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over half of the second day (March 28) will be dedicated to a
forum on the Western Balkans. He indicated that the MFA was
inclined to invite all Balkan FMs to participate in a working
lunch following the morning session, there still being
discussion about how to invite Hyseni and still keep the
Serbs on board. Szunyog said that Czech FM Schwarzenberg was
"personally involved" in the issue, not only because it was
one of the Czech presidency's three foreign policy
objectives, but because the FM has a deep conviction that
Balkan stability is essential to European stability.

Albania
--------------


7. (C/NF) Szunyog reported that the Albanians have told the
Czech presidency to expect their membership application in
March. Concerning the lustration law and other issues with
the Albanians, Szunyog suggested that if there were any
suggestion from the U.S. that this could create problems for
NATO accession, these issues would "disappear."

MURRAY
.