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TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9817
INFO RUEHPS/USOFFICE PRISTINA IMMEDIATE 3601
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1258
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BELGRADE 001943 
 
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STATE PLEASE PASS TOSEC 
STATE PASS ALSO TO U/S BURNS AND A/S FRIED 
NAPLES PLEASE PASS AMBASSADOR POLT AT COM CONF 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: MARR PREL NATO SR
SUBJECT: Serbian Reactions to PfP Invitation 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1. (SBU) 1. (SBU)  President Tadic has warmly welcomed 
NATO's decision to invite Serbia to join the Partnership 
for Peace (PfP).  In a statement to the nation, Tadic 
claimed credit for his own efforts and pledged that the 
invitation did not absolve Serbia of its outstanding ICTY 
commitments.  FONMIN Draskovic and Minister of Defense 
Stankovic also issued positive reactions to the invitation. 
Prime Minister Kostunica's reaction has been 
disappointingly short-sighted and marginally defiant.  He 
claimed that the invitation would reinforce NATO's respect 
for Serbia's territorial integrity (a reference to Kosovo 
final status), and he cited it as proof that conditionality 
as a policy is misguided.  The PM's office has 
significantly played down the importance of the invitation 
as a step toward Serbia's Euro-Atlantic integration. 
SEPTEL will report on our conversations with Serbian 
officials.  End summary. 
 
Belgrade Media Speculating on Membership 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Following days of speculation, news of an 
impending PFP invitation reached Serbia's airwaves late in 
the evening of 11/28.  Interestingly, prime time coverage 
earlier the same evening reported the NATO SYG's 
announcement that Serbia, Montenegro, and B-H would not be 
invited into PfP.  All major news outlets reported on 11/29 
that NATO leaders in Riga would likely invite Serbia into 
PfP that day, with many speculating that membership would 
be conditioned in some way for Serbia and Bosnia.  BETA 
News Agency additionally suggested that the last minute USG 
decision was a product of the White House overcoming strong 
objections in the Department of State, which opposed any 
relaxation of conditionality for PfP. 
 
Government/DSS: Diplomatic Campaign Successful 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Reacting to the invitation on 11/29, PM Kostunica 
said that PfP membership will ensure Serbia's territorial 
integrity, including retention of Kosovo as part of Serbia. 
It was a welcome step at a moment when Serbia was fighting 
to keep its territory intact, he said, adding that he hoped 
it would influence Kosovo final status negotiations. 
Kostunica also claimed that the invitation demonstrated 
that the process of European integration was continuing and 
that every attempt to set conditions for it is "wrong." 
Following initial reports late on 11/28 that a PfP 
invitation was in the offing, GOS spokesman Srdjan Djuric 
adopted a similar, marginally defiant tone.  Djuric 
welcomed the prospect of an invitation, judging that it 
meant that NATO's policy of setting conditions on Serbia, 
which he assessed as negative for Serbia, has now been 
"abandoned." Djuric also asserted that PfP membership for 
Serbia would force NATO members to respect Serbia's 
territorial integrity and sovereignty, a clear reference to 
the Kosovo final status issue.  Over the last two weeks, 
the PM, Djuric, and the DSS have repeatedly warned NATO 
member states not to violate "again" international law by 
recognizing an independent Kosovo. 
 
Draskovic: PfP Membership Positive for Serbia 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) FONMIN Vuk Draskovic also came out early and 
publicly in favor of the decision for Serbia's inclusion 
into PfP. Draskovic first called Ambassador Polt and 
informed him about what he would say in the press on the 
issue. Draskovic's statement, picked up by all media, said 
that he expected to hear good news from Riga, and said that 
he thought an invitation would arrive for Serbia's 
membership in PfP either on Wednesday, or shortly 
thereafter.  Draskovic told B92 that the US and France were 
reviewing their firm stance on conditionality.  (Comment: 
Draskovic, the foremost proponent of unconditional PfP 
membership for the last two years, has consistently told us 
that PfP before Mladic is the best way to ensure the 
general's eventual capture, and the best way to send a 
 
BELGRADE 00001943  002 OF 002 
 
 
strong signal to anti-reformists in and out of the military 
that Serbia is irrevocably on the path to NATO and the EU. 
Draskovic also undoubtedly hopes to be associated with the 
decision as a way to boost his polling numbers ahead of the 
January 21 parliamentary elections.  End Comment. 
 
Tadic Welcomes PfP 
------------------ 
 
¶5. (SBU) President Tadic welcomed Serbia's acceptance into 
PfP, saying that it is important for Serbian citizens, the 
state and the army. Tadic said that this invitation now was 
a result of the reforms made since 2003 (Comment:  i.e., 
since he first began as Defense Minister and continuing 
through his tenure as President.  End Comment) and noted 
that this was good news also for potential investors who 
will see PfP as a strong indication of Serbia's commitment 
to reforms. At the same time, Tadic stressed that PfP 
membership did not resolve the problem of ICTY cooperation. 
"Serbia must close out this issue, and all PIFWCs must be 
in The Hague," he said. 
 
Defense Minister Positive on PfP 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Minister of Defense Stankovic has welcomed the 
invitation.  Stankovic expressed dismay in a meeting 
earlier today with the British Ambassador and DATT that 
there was no advance confirmation that the invitation was 
going to be offered to Serbia, and he was displeased by 
what he perceived as efforts by the Kostunica government to 
take credit for it. Stankovic, along with other senior 
people in the ministry, have told us privately that they 
see the decision as a direct result of their lobbying 
efforts with NATO Embassies and intensive ongoing dialogue 
with NATO partners and DoD. 
 
MOORE