KOSOVO: GOK TO STAFF DORMANT BORDER CROSSING POINT

UNCLAS PRISTINA 000066 C O R R E C T E D COPY (CAPTIONS) SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL MARR KV SUBJECT: KOSOVO: GOK TO STAFF DORMANT BORDER CROSSING POINT FOR HOLIDAY ¶1. (SBU) In celebration of All Souls Day on February 6, hundreds of visitors from Serbia have submitted applications to the EU Special Representative in Belgrade requesting EULEX police escort to facilitate several large-scale visits to cemeteries in Kosovo. Among these many visitors, a large group has requested to cross at disputed border crossing Gate 3A, which is not currently operational. (Note: Gate 3A is one of 21 border crossing points authorized by UNMIK regulations (UNMIK/DIR/2001/5 and UNMIK/DIR/2003/18),but the Kosovo Border Police do not maintain an entry post. End Note.) Serbian visitors have encountered difficulties at Gate 3A previously. On January 23, a group of 17 Serbians crossed the border into Kosovo via Gate 3A to attend a funeral. The Kosovo Border Police permitted the group to attend the funeral and later detained them. On January 24, the group paid a fine of 4,607 Euros after receiving assistance from a Medvezda municipal official from Serbia, and the group returned to Serbia without incident. ¶2. (SBU) Gate 3A, according to KFOR, was sealed several years ago and bears placards indicating that it is closed. Neither we nor KFOR have been able to confirm precisely when Gate 3A was sealed or who sealed it. The earlier fines from the Kosovo Border Police for using Gate 3A indicate that the GOK regards it as an illegal crossing point. In an effort to prevent further confusion regarding Gate 3A during a significant religious holiday, the International Civilian Office and we have counseled the GOK to place personnel at the border crossing point during the weekend to provide standard document inspection for visitors. The GOK has concurred, and we believe that this should prevent any problems, particularly a repeat of the January 23 events. DELL