TURKEY TOUTS FIFTH BOSNIA/SERBIA/TURKEY TRILATERAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000241 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR EUR/SE E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/11/2020 TAGS: PGOV PREL TU BK ZL SUBJECT: TURKEY TOUTS FIFTH BOSNIA/SERBIA/TURKEY TRILATERAL Classified By: POL Counselor Daniel O'Grady for reasons 1.4(b,d) ¶1. (C) Turkish media reports lauded the February 9 trilateral meeting in Ankara of Turkey, Bosnia, and Serbia as having succeeded in establishing diplomatic relations and the exchange of ambassadors between Bosnia and Serbia. The media outlets appeared unaware that Bosnia and Serbia had actually agreed in 1996 to establish diplomatic relations and had exchanged ambassadors soon thereafter. ¶2. (C) It is true that the post of Bosnian ambassador to Serbia has been vacant since June 2007 because successive candidates were unable to secure Serbian concurrence. After the trilateral meeting, Serbian FM Vuk Jeremic announced the approval of a new Bosnian ambassador to Serbia. Turkish MFA First Secretary Guclu Kalafat confirmed February 11 that, during the course of the trilateral, Serbia had agreed to accept Borisa Arnaut as the new ambassador. Kalafat said he regretted the media's hype of the significance of the Serbian announcement. ¶3. (C) On February 9, Bosnian Embassy First Secretary Miljana Zdrale told us that Bosnia appreciates Turkey's efforts but conceded that that Turkey seems to be exagerating its success in mediating between Bosnia and Serbia. Serbian Embassy Counselor Zeljko Gajic insisted to us February 9 the situation regarding the new Bosnian ambassador was never a "major" problem between Serbia and Bosnia. (Note: The three-year gap between ambassadors seems to argue otherwise. End Note) Gajic said the latest move was indeed a positive step but he too downplayed the development. He said all three parties had discussed the issue during the fourth trilateral held in Belgrade on January 15. Gajic had earlier been dismissive of the trilateral meetings, noting that they only took "small steps" and were becoming stagnant. ¶4. (C) COMMENT: The MFA may have been complicit in exaggerating the significance of the Serbian announcement. It may be worried its trilateral process is in danger of stalling. Jeffrey "Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.s gov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turkey"