VZCZCXRO8990
RR RUEHAST
DE RUEHBW #0898/01 1570859
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 060859Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8743
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BELGRADE 000898 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MW SR
SUBJECT: MONTENEGRIN INDEPENDENCE: DEVELOPMENTS 
 
 
BELGRADE 00000898  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY 
 
Ref: Belgrade 894 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: The GoM is moving quickly to establish 
itself as an independent state, following the June 3 
Declaration of Independence.  The GoM on June 4 requested 
international recognition from the USG (ref), and other 
members of the UN Perm-5 as well as neighboring states. 
Quint Ambassadors told Ambassador Polt that they expect the 
June 12 EU General Affairs Council meeting to give the 
green light to recognition and for individual member states 
to do so quickly thereafter. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The Serbian parliament on June 5 formally 
acknowledged that according to the State Union Charter it 
is the successor state in all legal matters.  Montenegro is 
expected to rapidly seek membership in international 
organizations, starting with the OSCE.  President Tadic has 
been statesman-like and his office has indicated it will 
seek to ensure smooth transition at the UN with Tadic 
possibly traveling to NY for a Serbian flag-raising on 6 
June.  An angry and sulking PM Kostunica has taken a much 
lower road, emphasizing no rush on recognition and that he 
will focus on the Republic of Serbia's interests. 
Transition issues with regard to military matters appear to 
be proceeding smoothly and without controversy.  End 
summary. 
 
Montenegro Declares Independence 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) The Montenegrin Parliament adopted a formal 
Declaration of Montenegrin Independence on June 3.  The 
pro-Union Montenegrin opposition boycotted the event, as 
did guests invited from the Government of Serbia.  Serbian 
President Boris Tadic excused himself for not being able to 
attend the reception in Podgorica. In an official letter to 
the GoM, he wished all Montenegrin citizens peace, 
stability and general prosperity, adding his belief that 
Montenegro will become a prosperous society which will 
through partnership with other states of the region, Serbia 
above all, ensure its European future. SaM Foreign Minister 
Vuk Draskovic congratulated Montenegrin President Vujanovic 
and PM Djukanovic on the declaration of independence. He 
said that while Serbia and Montenegro will be two 
independent states, the close relations between two 
fraternal peoples will remain unchanged. 
 
Montenegro Requests International Recognition 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) As expected, the GoM has moved quickly to request 
recognition of its independence.  Requests have gone out to 
the USG (ref), neighboring states, EU states, and Russia 
and China.  The Montenegrin MFA confirms that the GoM's 
application for OSCE membership was made on June 5, with 
acceptance hoped for by the end of July.  Minister of 
Finance Luksic told media the GoM will soon apply for 
membership in the IMF, World Bank, European Bank for 
Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and similar 
international financial institutions. President Vujanovic 
wrote UNSYG Annan on June 5 requesting UN membership; the 
GoM has indicated it hopes to have its application for UN 
membership approved in time for the beginning of the UN 
General Assembly in September. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The GOM hopes to pick up negotiations on an SAA 
for Montenegro where SaM left off in April, and GoM 
officials aim to have the SAA signed by December. 
Negotiations for WTO membership were already on two tracks, 
one for Serbia and one for Montenegro, from early in 2005. 
The EU Presidency noted the Parliamentary declaration of 
independence in a June 3 press release (10152/06), and said 
the General Affairs and External Relations Council will 
address the matter further at its June 12 meeting. 
Bilateral recognition of Montenegro by EU states will 
likely follow after the June 12 session.  Quint Ambassadors 
confirmed this to Ambassador Polt on June 5 and expected 
individual EU member countries' recognition to follow very 
shortly after that meeting. Quint Ambassador's also 
speculated that:  the UK would recognize and ask for 
agrement for its Belgrade Ambassador at the same time; the 
French would recognize, but not clear on when/how 
Ambassador question would be settled; similar with the 
Germans; Italy would likely recognize and dual accredit its 
Belgrade Ambassador. 
 
State Union Bodies Dissolving 
----------------------------- 
 
BELGRADE 00000898  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶6. (U) Montenegrin officials have begun to withdraw from 
State Union bodies, and replaced by Serbian officials where 
Serbia will succeed to the State Union institutions, e.g., 
Defense and Foreign Affairs.  SaM President Marovic has 
departed his post, as has Deputy Defense Minister Maras, 
both Montenegrins.  The Montenegrin chief of the MoD's 
Military Intelligence Service (VOA) has been replaced, and 
the Montenegrin Chief of the General Staff has been 
relieved at his own request.  Serbian PM Kostunica has said 
that Montenegrins in the Foreign Ministry, both in Belgrade 
and abroad, should depart immediately. 
 
¶7. (U) The SaM Supreme Defense Council convened by 
telephone for the final time on June 2, and decided that in 
accordance with Article 6 of the Constitutional Charter, to 
devolve command of the Serbian military to President Tadic, 
and command of the Montenegrin military to President 
Vujanovic. The speaker of the SaM parliament has said that 
it will not meet again, and that its final session was 
already held on May 11.  Despite these developments, 
confusion was still reigning as of June 3, when two State 
Union officials admitted to DCM that no one knew the legal 
status of the State Union or how administrative matters -- 
such as when their pay stops -- would be handled. 
 
Kostunica Rejects Solana's Offer to Mediate Divorce 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶8. (U) Serb Assembly Speaker Markovic has announced that 
the parliament will meet on June 5 to formally confirm 
Serbia's status as a successor state as provided in the 
Union Charter.  Kostunica referred to a package of laws 
that will regulate devolution of SaM legislation to the 
Serbian Republic to be prepared in the next 45 days. 
Kostunica's comments to the press have been acerbic. 
Meeting in Belgrade June 2, Serbian PM Kostunica declined 
EU FM Solana's offer to assist in the dissolution of the 
State Union and continued to suggest that the EU had played 
a role in the referendum result.  EU officials described to 
us Kostunica's behavior toward Solana as bordering on rude. 
An angry and sullen Kostunica slammed the EU's suspension 
of SAA talks, claiming that it had affected the referendum 
outcome.  The PM even publicly compared the EU with Mladic 
himself, arguing that both were holding Serbia hostage to 
the fate of one man. 
 
POLT