VZCZCXRO6566
OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHPS #0421/01 1361701
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 161701Z MAY 06
FM USOFFICE PRISTINA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6108
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0680
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHFMISS/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
RUFOANA/USNIC PRISTINA SR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 PRISTINA 000421 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR DRL, INL, EUR/SCE, AND EUR/SSA, NSC FOR BRAUN, 
USUN FOR DREW SCHUFLETOWSKI, USOSCE FOR STEVE STEGER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/16/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM UNMIK YI
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: UNMIK ISSUES GENERALLY FAVORABLE TECHNICAL 
ASSESSMENT ON STANDARDS IMPLEMENTATION 
 
REF: A. PRISTINA 302 
 
     ¶B. STATE 66089 
 
Classified By: COM PHILIP S. GOLDBERG FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY:  UNMIK's latest formal assessment of Kosovo 
Government efforts to implement the Standards for Kosovo 
program, covering the period ending April 30, is generally 
favorable.  The report lauds the quick initial engagement of 
Kosovo's new government on Standards which will provide a 
basis for SRSG Soren Jessen-Petersen to give a good report 
when he addresses the UN Security Council in June.  While 
noting progress, there is general consensus that much more 
can be done.  There are a number of proposals circulating in 
Pristina for follow-up on the assessment; but any additional 
short or medium-term deliverables should consist only of 
those items within the complete purview of the Kosovo 
Government.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On May 4 UNMIK completed its latest technical 
assessment (a draft of which was faxed to EUR/SCE).  Titled 
the "Technical Assessment of Progress in Implementation of 
the Standards for Kosovo to 30 April 2006," these reports are 
issued roughly every quarter.  The report notes substantial 
progress since the last assessment (on December 20, 2005), 
particularly by the new government that took office in the 
aftermath of the January 21 death of President Ibrahim 
Rugova.  Singled out for praise is the intensified effort by 
Prime Minister Agim Ceku to hold regular meetings of the 
Standards Steering Group comprised of all ministers with 
responsibilities for Standards implementation.  Under Ceku's 
predecessor, former Prime Minister Bajram Kosumi, this body 
had only met infrequently.  In reaction to Ceku's promise to 
review periodically the performance of all government 
ministers, participation by some of the previously less than 
enthusiastic ministers (most notably Minister of Culture, 
Youth and Sports Astrit Haracia) increased dramatically. 
(NOTE:  Haracia, who had not attended a session of the 
working group on cultural heritage for at least eight months, 
chaired meetings held in March and April after rumors 
circulated that he would be one of the first ministers Ceku 
would fire.  END NOTE.). 
 
¶3. (C) Ceku's advisor on Standards Avni Arifi, told poloff 
May 8 that although he tried to keep the document close-hold, 
he suspects someone in the Prime Minister's office leaked it 
to the local media.  Arifi was sheepishly unrepentant that it 
leaked from his office.  He told poloff that the government 
needs such good news stories to shore up public support for 
its negotiating positions during this important period of 
status talks in Vienna. 
 
------------------------------ 
UNMIK Accentuates the Positive 
------------------------------ 
 
¶4. (SBU) The UNMIK assessment, the first drafted under new 
Strategy Coordinator Bryan Hopkinson, is positive although 
the government accomplished few of either the 91 items the 
Office of the Prime Minister set out for itself March 17 or 
the shorter, complementary list of 25 standards-related 
action items tasked by UNMIK to Kosovo's Provisional 
Institutions of Self Government (PISG) ten days later (ref. 
A).  Despite this shortfall, the report states that as a 
result of the government's intensified efforts, it is now 
possible "to discern progress across a broad front on 
Standards implementation" and that if it maintains its 
present level of commitment "we should witness substantial 
further achievement in the coming months." 
 
¶5. (C) The report is broken up into major sections on the 
eight mega-standards: Functioning Democratic Institutions; 
Rule of Law; Freedom of Movement; Sustainable Returns and the 
Rights of Communities; Economy; Property Rights; Cultural 
Heritage; Dialogue; and the Kosovo Protection Corps.  Each 
section contains not only a review of progress in the 
specified area, but also a section on "challenges ahead." 
 
PRISTINA 00000421  002 OF 004 
 
 
The report paints as favorable a picture as possible on the 
ground, and while it does tend to gloss over some of the 
existing negatives in each of the sections, its conclusions 
are defensible. 
 
--------------------- 
Focus on the New Team 
--------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) In its review of Functioning Democratic 
Institutions, the report focuses on changes in the government 
since President Rugova's death, most notably the election of 
Fatmir Sejdiu as President of Kosovo on February 10 and the 
selection one month later of Agim Ceku as prime minister and 
Kole Berisha as Kosovo Assembly president.  The review 
correctly states that since Berisha was elected as its head, 
the Assembly has been following its rules of procedure 
better.  It also highlights the results of the audits of the 
first 17 municipalities (conducted by the international-led 
Office of the Auditor General), which note widespread 
non-compliance with laws and regulations concerning municipal 
procurement.  (NOTE:  While the results of the audits are 
bad, the fact that they were carried out and publicized is 
noteworthy and we will see what kind of plan the government 
devises for follow-on action to correct the deficiencies. 
END NOTE). 
 
¶7. (C) The section of the report on the Rule of Law focuses 
on the creation and transfer of competencies to the new 
ministry of internal affairs and ministry of justice.  The 
SRSG created these ministries on December 20, 2005 (the date 
of the last technical assessment), but the Kosovo Assembly 
did not confirm the appointment of the ministers until March 
10, 2006.  Pursuant to UNMIK Regulation 2006/26 dated April 
27, 2006, the SRSG transferred a second group of competencies 
(including limited oversight over the Kosovo Police Service 
and the Kosovo Correctional Service to the new ministries). 
The SRSG retains ultimate authority over the police force 
through the Police Commissioner and UNMIK retains authority 
to command and control all operations in emergency situations 
at the Dubrava maximum security prison.  (COMMENT:  Both of 
the new ministries are struggling to cope with the existing 
responsibilities already given to them by UNMIK, and the 
eleventh hour transfer of additional competencies seems 
driven only by UNMIK's desire for a positive review rather 
than based on any positive assessment of their functioning to 
date.  All involved internationals and Kosovars agree that 
the new ministry of justice is not ready to take on 
responsibility for the high security section at the prison in 
Dubrava, forensics and missing persons or war crimes 
operations any time soon, and UNMIK or any successor EU 
organization will need to oversee or administer such 
operations for some time to come.  END COMMENT). 
 
¶8. (SBU) The report notes that local crime prevention 
councils, operational in 28 municipalities, are being 
transitioned to municipal community safety councils.  PM Ceku 
has announced publicly a "zero tolerance" policy on 
inter-ethnic crime, but the government will need to 
investigate fully several incidents, since the technical 
assessment, of stones being thrown at buses carrying Serbs, 
shots fired at a Serbian Orthodox priest and his family and 
the theft of tractors and livestock from Serb farmers in 
western Kosovo. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
Report Does Not Dwell on the Negatives 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) The section of the assessment dealing with 
sustainable returns of internally displaced persons (IDPs) 
notes favorably recent outreach efforts by President Sejdiu, 
PM Ceku's visit to the rebuilt Serb village of Svinjare in 
southern Mitrovica and politician Veton Surroi's communities' 
dialogue effort.  In its attempt to discuss candidly the 
current situation on returns it gives the government too 
little credit.  It states that according to UNHCR, the number 
 
PRISTINA 00000421  003 OF 004 
 
 
of voluntary returns (218) for December 2005 to March 2006 is 
low, but fails to mention that it is actually greater than 
the number (208) for the same period a year ago.  Regarding 
the fate of people displaced in March 2004, the report notes 
that of the estimated 515 families, 154 have returned to 
their homes permanently, 50 houses have been sold and 216 
houses remain abandoned.  These abandoned homes have either 
been repaired or were untouched by the violence, but their 
owners have chosen not to return. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Similarly, the assessment urges the PISG to 
complete the reconstruction of property damaged in March 2004 
but fails to note that the estimated 3 percent of homes 
remaining to be rebuilt includes apartments and homes the 
PISG cannot access.  (NOTE:  The PISG should, however, remedy 
all outstanding complaints on completed reconstruction and 
fund the estimated 3 million euros to rebuild the historic 
Podkalaya district in Prizren.  PM Ceku recently appointed 
Behxhet Brajshori to chair the Reconstruction Commission, 
charged with coordinating the rebuilding of residential 
structures damaged in the March 2004 riots, effectively 
removing responsibility from Minister of CultuQ Astrit 
Haracia.  The Commission has overseen the reconstruction of 
873 houses and ordered post-reconstruction repairs on 161 of 
them in response to complaints from owners about shoddy 
workmanship or vandalism.  END NOTE). 
 
-------------------------------------- 
Kosovo's Economy Ready to Move Forward 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) Like most previous assessments, the report on the 
economic situation in Kosovo was positive.  It notes progress 
on budget management and privatization.  The report urged the 
PISG to show more commitment to reducing government 
employment rolls, a sensitive political issue given the level 
of unemployment here. 
 
¶12. (SBU) On property rights, the report notes the creation 
on March 4 of the Kosovo Property Agency (KPA), as successor 
to the Housing and Property Directorate (HPD).  In addition 
to taking over the 5,328 residences administered by the HPD 
(mostly homes occupied by ethnic Albanians and owned by 
ethnic Serbs with no rent being paid), the KPA is charged 
with the adjudication of rights to an estimated 11,000 
agricultural and commercial properties over which the HPD did 
not have jurisdiction.  The KPA received 217 claims during 
its first month of existence, over half of which are for 
agricultural property.  It has not yet started accepting 
claims in Serbia proper. 
 
------------------------------- 
Pristina Needs a Better Partner 
------------------------------- 
 
¶13. (C) The section of the assessment on cultural heritage 
notes the difficulty the PISG has faced trying to move 
forward without a partner from the Kosovo Serb community. 
The PISG pulled back a draft law on cultural heritage after 
minority representatives requested further consultations. 
The Council of Europe (COE) assisted in redrafting the law, 
but no Serbs attended either of the drafting workshops in 
April 2006.  (NOTE: The draft law contemplates the PISG 
inspecting Serbian Orthodox sites, a circumstance that may 
not sit well with the church.  END NOTE.).  In contrast, the 
Reconstruction Implementation Commission (RIC) responsible 
for consolidation and emergency work on 30 Serbian Orthodox 
sites damaged during the March 2004 riots, has benefited from 
Serbian Orthodox Church participation.  The RIC has overseen 
the completion of the first phase of emergency work on the 
sites in December 2005 and met in April 2006 to begin 
deliberations on the second phase.  According to the 
technical assessment, at this meeting the commission members 
made clear their commitment to move the reconstruction of 
these sites forward as quickly as possible. 
 
¶14. (SBU) The dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade embodied 
 
PRISTINA 00000421  004 OF 004 
 
 
by separate working groups on energy, returns, transport and 
communication, and missing persons has continued despite 
being overshadowed by the start of final status talks in 
Vienna February 20.  The working group on returns met once 
formally and countless times informally since the December 
2005 technical assessment to finalize the proposed protocol 
on returns.  The transport and communications working group 
met February 9 in Pristina to discuss Belgrade-Pristina 
transit lines and license plates.  Although the meeting 
accomplished little, it was important to breathe new life 
into this dialogue after its last meeting in June 2005.  At 
the fifth meeting of the working group on missing persons 
March 9 Pristina participants urged faster action on the 
return of the last known Kosovo bodies buried in mass graves 
in Serbia.  The Serbian delegation promised to return the 
mortal remains by July 2006.  The next meeting of the group 
is scheduled for May 31.  The energy working group did not 
meet in the almost five months since the last technical 
assessment. 
 
¶15. (SBU) The Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC) continued to be a 
bright spot in Standards implementation even after Sylejman 
Selimi replaced Agim Ceku as commander when the latter became 
Kosovo's prime minister March 10.  The report noted the KPC's 
contributions to civil emergencies such as the flooding near 
the power plant in Obiliq and a landslide that blocked the 
main road between Pristina and Skopje.  Although ethnic 
minority participation rose from 6.1 percent to 6.8 percent 
of the 3,036 active KPC contingent, the organization 
continues to face difficulties in attracting Kosovo Serb 
members. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
Lots of Advice on Near Term Deliverables 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶16. (C)  On May 9 Avni Arifi provided USOP with his own list 
of 16 items (forwarded to EUR/SCE) he thinks the Kosovo 
government can and should accomplish before SRSG 
Jessen-Petersen's report to the UNSC in June.  The list 
includes approving the new law on official languages, 
supporting the work of the KPA, taking concrete steps to 
reduce the backlog of civil cases in the courts, issuing the 
first grant for minority media, providing full bi-lingual 
services in all municipalities and finalizing the move of 
minorities living at the Plementina camp near Obiliq to new 
homes built for them by the government.  UNMIK has drafted 
its own list of 13 short-term priorities for Standards 
implementation it believes the PISG can accomplish over the 
next several months.  Most of the items focus on minorities 
(such as passage of laws on languages, cultural heritage and 
religious freedom, grants to minority media, and completing 
reconstruction of or compensating owners for homes damaged in 
the March 2004 riots) while others relate to the fight 
against government corruption.  Local contact group 
representatives will meet with Ceku to discuss once their 
capitals have reviewed the UNMIK list and come up with one of 
their own (ref. B). 
 
¶17. (C) COMMENT: The UNMIK report correctly gives the new 
Kosovo government credit for moving quickly on Standards 
implementation after taking office just two months ago. 
There still remains much that the PISG, the Contact Group or 
and the Kosovo government can do over the next several weeks 
and months to move the final status process forward.  Any 
list should only contain those items within the control of 
the PISG, and not any in which inaction by Kosovo Serbs, 
pressured by Belgrade, can interfere. 
 
¶18. (U) U.S. Office Pristina clears this message for release 
in its entirety to UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari. 
GOLDBERG