VZCZCXRO3802
OO RUEHAST
DE RUEHBW #1103 1911005
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 101005Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8977
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC 1156
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RXFEAA/HQ AFSOUTH NAPLES IT

UNCLAS BELGRADE 001103 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O.12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SR MW YI
SUBJECT: KOSOVO and ICTY: KOSTUNICA BRIEFS HIS PUBLIC 
 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY: On July 3, Prime Minister Kostunica was interviewed 
by editors of four major Serbia news outlets (Vecernje Novosti, 
BETA, Danas, Standard) on national television (RTS) in which he 
explained his position on Kosovo and ICTY. Prime Minister Kostunica 
said categorically that he will never accept an independent Kosovo 
and reported that his recent engagement with Contact Group leaders 
Qhas shown results.Q Kostunica warned that an imposed solution in 
Kosovo Qcannot remain without consequencesQ and will be a threat to 
Serbian democracy.  The Prime Minister also said his ICTY Qaction 
planQ will assure both the public and the international community 
that the GOS is committed to full compliance with the process. END 
SUMMARY. 
 
 
KOSOVO 
------ 
 
¶2. (U) The Prime Minister said that he is Qnot prepared and cannot 
acceptQ an independent Kosovo, and therefore Serbs Qcannot be 
preparedQ for that possibility.  Calling an independent Kosovo 
Qcontrary to the basic principles of international law and 
democratic principles,Q Kostunica said that an imposed independence 
for Kosovo Qcannot remain without consequences,Q warning that he 
would Qnot be able to defend democracy in Serbia.Q  Kostunica said 
that along with Kosovo, delays in European integration were 
weakening democratic forces. 
 
¶3. (U) The Prime Minister told his people that he has Qraised by an 
octaveQ the GOSQs position on Kosovo including during talks with 
heads of Contact Group countries.  Labeling the results of this 
diplomatic offensive as Qencouraging,Q the PM said this Qhas shown 
results,Q noting that none of the leaders had implied the solution 
for Kosovo is independence. (Note: Kostunica saw German Chancellor 
Merkel May 15, Russian President Putin June 12, UK PM Blair on June 
27, and will see Italian Premier Prodi on July 5 before his meeting 
with the Secretary on July 11. End note.)  In addition, Kostunica 
said that the QcampaignQ of private messages indicating independence 
for Kosovo had waned as there is a Qraised awarenessQ in Contact 
Group capitals and Brussels of BelgradeQs views.  These Qsobering 
talks,Q the Prime Minister insisted, left him certain that 
negotiations would lead to a solution that is not reached hastily 
because QSerbia would reject [independence for Kosovo] and still 
consider Kosovo a part of its territory. 
 
¶4. (U) The Prime Minister described the GOSQ negotiating platform 
for Kosovo (which the GOS released to the public in May 2006) as 
offering Albanians Qthe highest degree of autonomyQ while retaining 
issues of borders and foreign policy in Belgrade.  He said that 
redrawing borders and creating an independent Kosovo is Qthe 
anti-European solution,Q adding that both he and Russian President 
Putin have warned on several occasions of the precedent independence 
for Kosovo would set. 
 
ICTY 
---- 
 
¶5. (U) Kostunica said he believes that the GOSQ Qaction planQ for 
cooperation with the Hague tribunal will eliminate "all 
misinformation" and convince the world of SerbiaQs commitment to its 
obligations.  He said he is working to convince Serbs that 
Qcooperation with ICTY is necessary and that one man cannot be more 
important than all the others.Q Kostunica added that ICTYQs recent 
two-year sentence for Bosnia-Herzegovia war criminal Naser Oric was 
Qa direct mocking of justice. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Comment: Kostunica used this national broadcast as an 
opportunity to raise expectations that Serbia will succeed in 
convincing the world to keep Kosovo in Serbia.  This is part of the 
GoS' declared strategy to raise its argumentation on Kosovo "by an 
octave" in order to be better heard in world capitals. 
POLT