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R 041719Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0696
INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BELGRADE 000178 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
FOR PRM/ECA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF PREL PGOV SR
SUBJECT: SUBJECT: BALKANS REGIONAL REFUGEE COORDINATOR REPORT OF 
WEEKLY ACTIVITIES - JAN. 29, 2009 
 
SUMMARY 
 
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1.(SBU) BALKANS REGIONAL REFUGEE COORDINATOR REPORT OF WEEKLY 
ACTIVITIES - JAN. 29, 2009 
 
*             Serbian Government Crunching Numbers for Regional 
Refugee Conference 
 
*             Afghan Asylum Seekers in Macedonia Face Deportation 
to Greece 
 
*             UNHCR Update on Displaced Persons from Kosovo - 
Politics Still Hinder Returns 
 
*             Media in Serbia 
 
*             Comings and Goings 
 
End Summary. 
 
 
 
SERBIAN GOVERNMENT CRUNCHING NUMBERS FOR REFUGEE REGIONAL 
CONFERENCE 
 
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2.(SBU):  Following the Jan. 15 preparatory meeting in Zagreb, the 
Serbian Commissariat for Refugees (SCR) is comparing data with 
Ministry of Interior and UNHCR to develop the most up-to-date lists 
of refugees and others who fled Croatia and Bosnia and are still 
need of durable solutions.  Commissioner Cucic told Refcoord that 
he is confident that Serbia will provide all information requested. 
In order to complete this exercise, he has sent a letter to the 
Government of Croatia (GoC) requesting detailed information on the 
GoC's records on returns and assistance rendered to those who 
returned from Serbia.  Cucic is hopeful that his counterpart in 
GoC's Directorate for the Administration of the Areas of Special 
State Concern will accept his request to meet soon.  Cucic said, 
"We are happy to meet wherever they like--here in Serbia or in 
Croatia.   UNHCR Serbia Rep Eduardo Arboleda independently 
confirmed GoS' efforts.  He and his staff met last week with the 
SCR.  A follow up meeting will take place next week. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
AFGHAN ASYLUM SEEKERS IN MACEDONIA FACE DEPORTATION TO GREECE 
 
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------------------------ 
 
3.(SBU)On Jan. 22 UNCHR Macedonia Representative Carlos Maldonado 
contacted Embassy Skopje regarding three Afghans-3 males, one of 
whom is 17 year old--who entered Macedonia illegally and face 
imminent deportation to Greece, their point of entry.  Maldonado 
believes that the Macedonian Ministry of Interior's Section of 
Asylum did not properly handle these asylum cases because the three 
were not initially given legal assistance, were not provided with 
translators, were asked to sign the rejection of the application 
without lawyers or interpretation, and because the cases were 
accelerated--specifically prohibited for minors by Macedonian law. 
UNHCR did not learn of the three until late December/early January 
though they entered in September.  Macedonia sent two requests to 
Greece for the migrants' readmission, which Greece accepted, the 
first such acceptance, according to Maldonado.  He is concerned 
that, without assurances from Greece that the asylum seekers will 
have access to proper procedures, these asylum seekers would be 
sent from Greece to Turkey and then returned to Afghanistan. 
 
 
 
4.(SBU)Maldonado fears that there will be more such cases.  He 
pointed out that last month UNHCR issued an updated advisory on 
Greece as an asylum country, essentially advising countries to not 
return asylum seekers to Greece in operation of the Dublin 
Convention or other readmission agreements. For several days 
Maldonado sought, and was unable to secure, an appointment with the 
 
BELGRADE 00000178  002 OF 003 
 
 
Minister of Interior in the hope that the authorities would delay 
the deportation, scheduled for Jan. 27.  On Jan. 26 Embassy 
Skopje's DCM spoke with the Minister by phone. The Afghans were not 
deported on Jan. 27 as feared.  The lawyers for the Afghans have 
filled a law suit on their behalf.  Their cases are currently on 
appeal with the Administrative Court and there is no date for 
deportation. 
 
 
 
5.(SBU)Maldonado believes that there are suitable ways to both 
guarantee the rights of asylum seekers by means of properly 
implementing the domestic legislation, and preserve the interest of 
the country.  Last June at UNHCR's request, the Minister of 
Interior established a Working Group to analyze the situation of 
new asylum seekers, mainly Afghans coming from Greece.  Maldonado 
advised that good recommendations came out of the Working Group as 
well a UNHCR/MoI meeting early this month.   Currently UNHCR has no 
indication that the GoM has implemented the recommendations. 
Maldonado stated that he will continue to seek guarantees that the 
Law on Asylum and Temporary Protection, which was amended last 
year, is duly respected. (Embassy Skopje reporting) 
 
 
 
UNHCR UPDATE ON DISPLACED PERSONS FROM KOSOVO - POLITICS STILL 
HINDER RETURNS 
 
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-------------------------------------------- 
 
6.(SBU)On Jan. 26 UNHCR Serbia and Kosovo briefed representatives 
from roughly 20 foreign missions in Belgrade on current status of 
return of displaced persons (DPs) to Kosovo.  The total number of 
DPs who returned from Serbia to Kosovo in 2009 is 631, roughly 
double 2008's figure.  However, last year's registration for return 
process coordinated by UNHCR and the Serbian Ministry for Kosovo 
resulted in only 184 persons out of 4,730 (1,212 cases consisting 
of individuals and families).  The rest of 2009's returnees were 
either "spontaneous"--went on their own without help--or were 
individuals who had applied for assistance in previous years. 
UNHCR Serbia rep. Eduardo Arboleda attributed the low numbers in 
the 2009 exercise in part to increasing political tensions between 
Serbia and Kosovo and continuing reluctance of some Kosovo 
municipalities to accept returnees.  UNHCR Mission Chief Herman 
Stuurwold added that returnees face huge challenges to support 
themselves in Kosovo's current poor economic state.  Stuurwold does 
not think that the Kosovo Government is investing enough in housing 
reconstruction and that it remains up to donors to provide much of 
the sustainability assistance.  Despite the gloomy outlook UNHCR 
reports that currently some 1,565 individuals from the 2009 
registration process remain willing to return and approximately 600 
- 700 more people have expressed interest. 
 
 
 
7.(SBU)In closing Arboleda advised that the Kosovo Ministry for 
Kosovo has given its views on UNHCR's proposal to act as the 
umbrella for the Kosovo Property Agency's (KPA) operations in 
Serbia.  The holdup on final approval concerns text in documents 
KPA sends to property claimants.  The Ministry stated that it can 
accept reference to GoK law, but not reference to Kosovo's 
constitution or national assembly.  UNHCR has passed the comments 
to KPA in Pristina and is hoping to have a response to give back to 
the GoS with the next two weeks.  UNHCR believes that restarting 
KPA operations in Serbia would help DPs in Serbia resolve  property 
claims in Kosovo that have dragged on for years.  Both UNHCR 
representatives urged the foreign mission representative to use 
their political influence on the governments of Serbia and Kosovo 
to find a way to work together to foster a better environment for 
those who still want to return to Kosovo. 
 
 
 
MEDIA IN SERBIA 
 
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8.(U)Daily newspaper Vecernje Novosti reported that the Italian 
organization 'Inter SOS' is financing the construction of six 
houses for refugees and IDPs in Petrovac na Mlavi.  The daily 
recalled that the State Department's Bureau of Population, 
Refugees, and Migration previously contributed $700,000 for the 
construction and furnishing of the apartments for refugees in 
Petrovac. 
 
BELGRADE 00000178  003 OF 003 
 
 
COMINGS AND GOINGS 
 
------------------------------ 
 
9.(SBU) 
 
 
 
*             Feb. 22-25:  Refcoord in Geneva for Refugee 
Coordinators Workshop 
 
*             March 1-4:  DAS David Robinson Visit to the Croatia, 
Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia 
WARLICK