Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10PRISTINA4
2010-01-08 09:13:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Pristina
Cable title:
KOSOVO - ORTHODOX MONASTERIES SIGN POWER CONTRACTS; MOSQUES
how-toVZCZCXRO3282 PP RUEHIK DE RUEHPS #0004 0080913 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 080913Z JAN 10 FM AMEMBASSY PRISTINA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9593 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1312 RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1849 RHFMIUU/AFSOUTH NAPLES IT RHMFISS/CDR TF FALCON RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUEPGEA/CDR650THMIGP SHAPE BE RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC RUZEJAA/USNIC PRISTINA SR
UNCLAS PRISTINA 000004
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPT FOR EUR (SCE, ACE),DRL, USAID
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ENRG KV
SUBJECT: KOSOVO - ORTHODOX MONASTERIES SIGN POWER CONTRACTS; MOSQUES
DISCONNECTED FOR FAILURE TO PAY
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY
SOC SITES RECONNECTED FOLLOWING CONTRACT SIGNING
--------------------------------------------- ---
UNCLAS PRISTINA 000004
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPT FOR EUR (SCE, ACE),DRL, USAID
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ENRG KV
SUBJECT: KOSOVO - ORTHODOX MONASTERIES SIGN POWER CONTRACTS; MOSQUES
DISCONNECTED FOR FAILURE TO PAY
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY
SOC SITES RECONNECTED FOLLOWING CONTRACT SIGNING
-------------- ---
1. (SBU) On December 30, 2009, Father Simeon, secretary to Bishop
Artemije, Serbian Orthodox Bishop of Ras and Prizren, signed an
agreement with the Kosovo Electricity Corporation (KEK) for
Gracanica Monastery, and stated that all SOC sites in Kosovo were
now authorized to become KEK customers. KEK reconnected Gracanica
Monastery the same day. Gracanica Monastery, along with 57 other
Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) monasteries, convents, and churches
had been disconnected from the electrical grid in autumn 2009 due to
their failure to register to pay for electricity.
2. (SBU) The SOC in Kosovo, led by Bishop Artemije, had steadfastly
refused to sign agreements with KEK, equating signing with
recognition of Kosovo's independence. In the wake of Father
Simeon's announcement, 52 monasteries, convents and churches have
now signed contracts and been reconnected. Gracanica Monastery
officials asked KEK to contact them about six remaining unconnected
SOC sites, five of which are vacant, after Orthodox Christmas
celebrations on January 7, as none of the priests are available at
this time. We will follow-up with the SOC to ensure KEK continues
to provide prompt service to reconnect SOC sites.
MOSQUE DISCONNECTION SHOWS KEK'S EVENHANDED PRACTICES
-------------- --------------
3. (U) SOC buildings were reconnected to the electrical grid about
one month after KEK began to disconnect non-paying mosques, a
process that began after Islamic Eid al Fitr celebrations. This
action removed even the possibility of claims of anti-SOC/anti-Serb
bias in disconnections of religious facilities. KEK told us it had
disconnected 133 mosques for non-payment, out of a total of 370
registered mosques and 180 unregistered mosques in Kosovo. It
appears that about 50 mosques near Pristina were subsequently
reconnected illegally, some with the clandestine help of renegade
KEK employees. KEK management plans to address the issue.
COMMENT
--------------
4. (SBU) It is likely that the winter chill and the high cost of
running generators led to SOC leaders' change of heart and the
signing of KEK contracts. Regardless, this episode illustrates
KEK's practicality and openness to dialogue in its effort to
regularize customer relations. Sadly, these qualities have not been
reciprocated by KEK's Serbian interlocutors in discussions on power
for the north, further evidence, we'd argue, of a dual strategy --
parallel systems/partition where practical (the North),and benign
neglect where other options don't exist (the South).
MURPHY
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPT FOR EUR (SCE, ACE),DRL, USAID
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ENRG KV
SUBJECT: KOSOVO - ORTHODOX MONASTERIES SIGN POWER CONTRACTS; MOSQUES
DISCONNECTED FOR FAILURE TO PAY
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY
SOC SITES RECONNECTED FOLLOWING CONTRACT SIGNING
-------------- ---
1. (SBU) On December 30, 2009, Father Simeon, secretary to Bishop
Artemije, Serbian Orthodox Bishop of Ras and Prizren, signed an
agreement with the Kosovo Electricity Corporation (KEK) for
Gracanica Monastery, and stated that all SOC sites in Kosovo were
now authorized to become KEK customers. KEK reconnected Gracanica
Monastery the same day. Gracanica Monastery, along with 57 other
Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) monasteries, convents, and churches
had been disconnected from the electrical grid in autumn 2009 due to
their failure to register to pay for electricity.
2. (SBU) The SOC in Kosovo, led by Bishop Artemije, had steadfastly
refused to sign agreements with KEK, equating signing with
recognition of Kosovo's independence. In the wake of Father
Simeon's announcement, 52 monasteries, convents and churches have
now signed contracts and been reconnected. Gracanica Monastery
officials asked KEK to contact them about six remaining unconnected
SOC sites, five of which are vacant, after Orthodox Christmas
celebrations on January 7, as none of the priests are available at
this time. We will follow-up with the SOC to ensure KEK continues
to provide prompt service to reconnect SOC sites.
MOSQUE DISCONNECTION SHOWS KEK'S EVENHANDED PRACTICES
-------------- --------------
3. (U) SOC buildings were reconnected to the electrical grid about
one month after KEK began to disconnect non-paying mosques, a
process that began after Islamic Eid al Fitr celebrations. This
action removed even the possibility of claims of anti-SOC/anti-Serb
bias in disconnections of religious facilities. KEK told us it had
disconnected 133 mosques for non-payment, out of a total of 370
registered mosques and 180 unregistered mosques in Kosovo. It
appears that about 50 mosques near Pristina were subsequently
reconnected illegally, some with the clandestine help of renegade
KEK employees. KEK management plans to address the issue.
COMMENT
--------------
4. (SBU) It is likely that the winter chill and the high cost of
running generators led to SOC leaders' change of heart and the
signing of KEK contracts. Regardless, this episode illustrates
KEK's practicality and openness to dialogue in its effort to
regularize customer relations. Sadly, these qualities have not been
reciprocated by KEK's Serbian interlocutors in discussions on power
for the north, further evidence, we'd argue, of a dual strategy --
parallel systems/partition where practical (the North),and benign
neglect where other options don't exist (the South).
MURPHY