KOSOVO: NORTH MITROVICA AMERICAN CORNER STILL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRISTINA 000030

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DEPT FOR DRL, INL, EUR/SCE, EUR/PPD
NSC FOR HELGERSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2018
TAGS: PGOV PINR EAID KV UNMIK
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: NORTH MITROVICA AMERICAN CORNER STILL
OPEN, PRESSURE FROM SERB HARDLINERS CONTINUES

Classified By: Ambassador Tina S. Kaidanow for Reasons 1.4 (b),(d).


1. (C) SUMMARY. The American Corner in the UNMIK library of
northern Mitrovica remains open, but its existence continues
to be threatened by the Kosovo Serb parallel municipal
government. UNMIK has refused to hand over control of the
building to parallel mayor Nenad Toplicevic, a member of the
Serbian Radical Party (SRS). Nonetheless, the parallel
government continues to pressure the directors of the center
and has made clear its intention to eventually take over the
building and shut down the Corner. Serbian State Secretary
for Kosovo Oliver Ivanovic has made efforts to insulate the
Corner from local politics, but his proposed solution
involves a different form of takeover - by the Serbian
Ministry of Culture. While the Corner continues to serve the
Serb community in northern Kosovo, we do not have full range
of use; security concerns make it difficult for officers to
schedule public appearances there despite a brisk business in
English lessons, internet and computer classes, and other
activities, which continue uninterrupted. Our stance remains
firmly behind keeping the Corner open, but not at the cost of
legitimizing the parallel mayor or the Serbian Ministry of
Culture and thus aiding the Serbian government to increase
its reach in Kosovo. END SUMMARY

Safe...For Now


2. (C) After months of threats, intimidation, and other
unpleasantness from the Kosovo Serb parallel municipal
government in north Mitrovica, the American Corner in the
UNMIK-administered library remains open. We spoke with UNMIK
Acting Regional Representative Juozas Kazlas (an Amcit) on
January 23, who told us that he would not turn over control
of the library to the parallel government (or anyone else),
despite the persistent demands of parallel mayor Nenad
Toplicevic that he do so. According to Kazlas, UNMIK would
continue to administer certain functions in northern
Mitrovica under UNSCR 1244 and would not bend to the will of
Toplicevic, who Kazlas described as a "troublesome" figure.
Kazlas said a new Regional Representative would be appointed
by UNMIK headquarters in Pristina in the coming weeks, but he
did not expect this position to change. (Note: UNMIK
continues to administer certain functions in north Mitrovica
under UNMIK Administration Mitrovica (UAM),which includes
this library. End Note.)

Threats and Intimidation


3. (C) At an earlier meeting on December 22, 2008, librarians
Dajana Gocmanac and Milena Tepavcevic described the pressure
put on them by Toplicevic and other SRS members of the
parallel government. Gocmanac, an employee of the municipal
library of Mitrovica (and therefore employed by the parallel
government) was compelled in Fall 2008 to transfer out of the
UNMIK library and the American Corner to the parallel
government-run municipal library, and forbidden by the head
librarian there to even visit the American Corner.
Tepavcevic continues to run the Corner alone but told us she
has been visited several times by Toplicevic and deputy
parallel mayor Ljubisa Petrovic, a member of the Democratic
Party of Serbia (DSS),who have both threatened to take over
the building and shut the Corner down. Tepavcevic told us
that she had felt compelled to remove a USAID plaque from the
building, even though USAID had renovated and expanded the
structure in 2007 (at a cost of $130,000) to accommodate the
Corner. As recently as January 20, Tepavcevic reported that
she remained under intense pressure to abandon her work.

Ivanovic's Plan


4. (C) The two librarians appealed to State Secretary in the
Serbian Ministry for Kosovo Oliver Ivanovic for help.
Ivanovic, a Kosovo Serb who lives in Mitrovica, has discussed
the problem with us several times, most recently on January

16. His proposed solution has been for the Serbian Ministry
of Culture to take over the building and upgrade the
library's status within the Serbian government system, thus

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insulating it from local political control. To this end,
Ivanovic also requested that UNMIK hand over the library, but
to the Serbian Ministry of Culture instead of the parallel
municipal government. Ivanovic has asked for our assistance
in persuading UNMIK to do this, but we have declined.

Limited Use for USG


5. (C) The generally unfavorable security situation in
Serb-majority northern Kosovo and the specific pressure aimed
at the Corner have prevented the Embassy from fully utilizing
this resource in our effort to perform outreach among Kosovo
Serbs. Visits by Embassy personnel for any reason are
difficult to schedule due to security restrictions, and
English classes conducted by the Embassy's English Language
Fellows have at times been suspended for similar reasons.
Tepavcevic reports, however, that the number of visitors,
particularly children, to the Corner has not decreased
significantly since Kosovo's independence in February 2008.
Computer classes, English lessons (when available),reading
materials, and other services offered by the Corner remain
popular. She also told us in an earlier conversation that
the children of northern Kosovo Serb hardline leaders Marko
Jaksic and Milan Ivanovic visit the Corner often, despite
their parents' strong opposition to USG Kosovo policy and
Kosovo's independent government.

Comment: Not At Any Cost


6. (C) We are encouraged that UNMIK has refused to hand over
control of the library to either the parallel municipal
government or the Serbian Ministry of Culture. The parallel
government has made clear its intention to eject the USG
presence represented by the Corner from northern Kosovo and
we strongly believe nothing will dissuade them from pursuing
this goal if given the chance. While we will continue to
fully support the Corner as long as it remains open, the plan
envisioned by Oliver Ivanovic is also an unacceptable
alternative to current arrangements. While most of the USG
funds used for the Corner were a fixed investment, about
$35,000 worth of USG-provided computers, books, furniture,
and other equipment remains in the Corner and would have to
be repossessed if the Corner were closed. The ideal solution
would be for the Serbian government to use its considerable
influence with the parallel municipal government to persuade
it to back down from a provocative confrontation with the
USG. In the meantime, we will continue to advise UNMIK to
stand fast and retain control of the library. END COMMENT.
KAIDANOW