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C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 016235 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2018 
TAGS: UNSC PREL UNKIK YI
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: GUIDANCE FOR EMERGENCY UNSC SESSION 
 
 
Classified By: UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS NICHOLAS 
R BURNS FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
¶1.  (U) This cable includes background (para 2) and 
talking points (para 3) about Kosovo in the event that 
Russia or other UNSC members call for an emergency UN 
Security Council session immediately following Kosovo's 
declaration of independence but before the President has 
decided on recognition. 
 
¶2.  (C) BACKGROUND: We understand that the Kosovo Assembly 
will declare independence of Kosovo from Serbia on Sunday, 
February 17.  The U.S. and a majority of EU states will 
formally recognize on Monday, February 18. The United 
Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) is 
not likely to make any official statements either supporting 
or opposing the declaration of independence.  Serbia has 
stated firmly it will reject Kosovo's declaration, declaring 
it null and void.  No statements should be made that prejudge 
the President's decision whether to recognize Kosovo. 
 
¶3.  (U) Text of statement for possible UN Security Council 
session on Kosovo: 
 
BEGIN POINTS: 
 
Mr. President, the conflicts of the former Yugoslavia, 
including Kosovo, have been on the Security Council agenda 
for many years.  The Security Council first responded to 
the threats to international peace and security caused by 
Yugoslavia's violent, non-consensual breakup in the early 
1990s.  Throughout that decade, war wreaked havoc 
throughout the area, leading ultimately to a brutal policy 
of targeted attacks and ethnic cleansing 
committed by the Serb government of Slobodan Milosevic in 
Kosovo.  In June 1999, the Security Council adopted resolution 
1244, which required the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to 
withdraw its military, paramilitary and police forces from 
Kosovo, and which suspended Belgrade's governance over Kosovo 
and placed Kosovo under interim UN administration.  The 
resolution envisioned a political process to determine 
Kosovo's status but left open what that status would be. 
 
In the subsequent years, UNMIK achieved much progress 
helping Kosovo recover from war and build democratic 
institutions.  Nevertheless, we have heard from UN envoys 
Kai Eide and Martti Ahtisaari and the Secretary General 
himself that the status quo in Kosovo was unsustainable 
and that without quick action we risked a reversal of the 
progress made in the last eight years. 
 
For over two years Belgrade and Pristina have been 
negotiating to resolve the status of Kosovo.  UN Special 
Envoy Martti Ahtisaari led negotiations for over 15 
months.  When the parties could not reach agreement, 
President Ahtisaari submitted a comprehensive proposal 
that enjoyed broad international support, including from 
the EU, NATO, the UN Secretary General, and an 
overwhelming majority of Security Council members.  That 
proposal included broad provisions to protect all 
communities in Kosovo; President Ahtisaari recommended 
that Kosovo be independent subject to a period of 
international supervision. Much to our regret, the Council 
did not adopt a resolution endorsing that plan.  The 
EU-Russia-US troika continued negotiations for four months 
last fall.  Despite the fact that the negotiators made 
intensive efforts , this final round of negotiations also did 
not produce an agreement. 
 
These negotiations, however, did produce a comprehensive 
set of recommendations for Kosovo's future drafted by 
President Ahtisaari.  This plan included comprehensive 
measures to protect the rights, security and culture of 
Kosovo's non-Albanian communities.  He also recommended that 
Kosovo become independent subject to a period of international 
supervision.  The United States has strongly supported 
President Ahtisaari's plan for Kosovo. 
 
We had hoped that the Security Council would endorse 
President Ahtisaari's recommendations and help facilitate 
Kosovo's path forward. 
 
Yet in spite of a majority of Council members supporting 
President Ahtisaari's recommendations, the Council did not 
act.  Therefore, the people of Kosovo -- who have long 
been denied the clarity about their future needed for 
their social, economic and political development -- have 
decided to bring this issue to closure themselves.  They 
did so in a mature, non-violent and responsible manner. 
 
Kosovo's declaration of independence is a logical, 
legitimate, and legal response to the situation at hand. 
It is not contrary to UN Security Council resolution 1244, 
which aimed for an agreement between the parties but did 
not require one.  As we have said before, Kosovo is truly 
a special case, and has been treated as such by the UN 
since 1999.  The violent and non-consensual break-up of 
Yugoslavia, Milosevic's policies of oppression and ethnic 
cleansing that led the international community to act, the 
adoption of UNSCR 1244, under which Serbia has long been 
prevented from exercising normal governmental authority in 
Kosovo, and the UN-facilitated political process to help 
determine Kosovo's future status - all are factors that 
make the situation in  Kosovo different from other 
conflicts, and one that does not set a precedent for other 
regions. 
 
Kosovo now stands at an important threshold in its 
development.  Fortunately, Kosovo has a blueprint -- the 
Ahtisaari Plan -- for its path to becoming a functional, 
multi-ethnic and democratic country. 
 
In addition, the European Union has made an extraordinary 
offer to help Kosovo develop its rule of law sector and 
implement reforms required for EU membership.  The United 
Nations should welcome this offer of support.  New 
international presences are required to protect the UN's 
substantial investment in Kosovo and preserve the UN's 
legacy. 
 
In its declaration of independence, Kosovo committed 
itself to upholding the highest principles of the UN 
Charter.  Kosovo has said it seeks to become a 
responsible, peace-loving state.  We should embrace these 
commitments and work to ensure that the entire region of 
southeast Europe can move forward toward a democratic, 
prosperous and stable future. 
 
End Points. 
RICE