VZCZCXRO8341
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHPS #0029/01 0121754
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 121754Z JAN 07 ZDS CITE HSD 0076W 0131120
FM USOFFICE PRISTINA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6924
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0990
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHFMIUU/AFSOUTH NAPLES IT
RHMFIUU/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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRISTINA 000029 
 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y (CORRECTING MARKING PARA 3) 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR DRL, INL, AND EUR/SCE, NSC FOR BRAUN, USUN FOR 
DREW SCHUFLETOWSKI, USOSCE FOR STEVE STEGER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM KCRM KJUS UNMIK YI
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: DACI AND HIS SUPPORTERS CREATE A 
"DEMOCRATIC LEAGUE" OF THEIR OWN 
 
 
PRISTINA 00000029  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  Former Kosovo Assembly president Nexhat 
Daci and his supporters announced January 12 the creation of 
a new political "entity" called the Democratic League (LD). 
Daci told reporters the Democratic League will be "a 
continuation of the party created and run by former President 
Ibrahim Rugova."  The group claims to have the support of 
half of the LDK electorate and announced it will form a new 
caucus in the Kosovo Assembly.  While it is doubtful it would 
join with the opposition to secure the needed votes to 
overthrow the government, the new caucus could deny the 
government the 61-person quorum necessary for Assembly votes. 
 A Daci-led caucus could complicate Assembly adoption of the 
enabling legislation that will be required by the final 
status package.  The group could also cause problems in some 
local assemblies, where the LDK has narrow majorities.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU)  Former Kosovo Assembly president Nexhat Daci and 
his supporters held the initial meeting of their new 
political entity on January 12 in Pristina.  The group calls 
itself the "Democratic League" and will have its headquarters 
in the Velania section of central Pristina.  After its 
founding meeting, Daci told reporters the Democratic League 
will be "a continuation of the party created and run by 
former President Ibrahim Rugova."  The group will hold its 
first electoral convention on February 17, at which 501 
delegates will elect its president, as well as 101 members of 
a Steering Council and 25 members of a Presidency.  At 
today's meeting the group established three committees that 
will prepare for the convention.  The move ends weeks of 
speculation about Daci's next steps after losing the party 
leadership election to President Fatmir Sejdiu.  According to 
press reports, the Women's Forum of the LDK led by Minister 
of Public Services Melihate Termkolli will not join Daci's 
Democratic League, but Sejd Tolaj, the head of the LDK Youth 
Forum announced that he and an unspecified number of others 
from the youth forum will.  According to press reports, after 
Tolaj's statement, representatives of 31 of 36 LDK Youth 
League branches declared their continued support for Sejdiu. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The current governing coalition has 68 seats in the 
Kosovo Assembly (including the Daci camp); 61 are required 
for a simple majority and a decision-making quorum within the 
120-member Kosovo Assembly.  At today's meeting, five other 
MPs joined Daci, so it appears he has the six MPs required 
under OSCE rules to establish a caucus within the Assembly. 
These defectors probably will not be able to bring down the 
government since a vote of no-confidence also requires enough 
votes to select a new prime minister and cabinet, as well as 
the approval of the incumbent President (Sejdiu).  However, 
the new caucus could join with the opposition to add to the 
government's recent difficulties in forming the Assembly 
quorum. 
 
¶4. (SBU) At the December 9, 2006 convention, Daci lost the 
race to the current Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu, by the 
surprisingly narrow vote of 189 to 160.  His troubles 
magnified when Sejdiu presented his list of names for the 
party Steering Council, containing very few individuals from 
the Daci camp.  After a brawl instigated by Daci supporter 
Gani Geci, the convention re-convened and approved a list of 
107 Steering Council members, including only a handful 
belonging to the Daci camp. 
 
¶5. (SBU)  The LDK division could also be reflected in the 
composition of some Municipal Assemblies, where LDK has a 
narrow majority.  The Gjilan Municipal Assembly is already 
facing such difficulties, although Gjilan mayor Xhemajl 
Hyseni, a strong Daci supporter, has not managed to gather 
the needed quorum for a session.  Seven Sejdiu supporters in 
the Gjilan municipal assembly have joined the opposition in 
refusing to take part in a session in which Hyseni intends to 
extend the contract of the current CEO, also a Daci 
supporter.  The media has speculated that Pristina's current 
mayor, a Sejdiu supporter, may also be in danger, as Daci's 
team has the support of enough municipal assembly members to 
 
PRISTINA 00000029  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
remove him if they cooperate with the opposition.  Similar 
problems could also occur in Viti and Ferizaj municipalities, 
also Daci strongholds. 
 
¶6. (SBU)  An expert from the OSCE's office for political 
party services told us that she does not believe that Daci,s 
new party will be allowed to register with the its proposed 
"Democratic League8 name, as it is too similar to the LDK. 
(NOTE:  According to OSCE rules, it can refuse to register a 
party if its proposed name is "the same as or confusingly 
similar to an existing party."  END NOTE).  The expert 
stressed, however, that the OSCE has not yet been approached 
by anyone on the matter, and has only discussed it in-house. 
The OSCE confirmed publicly that MPs who change parties 
during their tenure retain their seats in the Assembly. 
 
¶7. (SBU)  COMMENT:  The formation of this new proto-party 
marks the failure of Daci's attempt to wrest control of the 
LDK.  Regardless of its long-term prospects, the LD 
represents a potential complication as we move to the final 
status end game.  Ahtisaari's package will undoubtedly 
contain provisions -- many controversial -- that will have to 
be enacted into law by the legislature.  Considering the 
sustained effort it took to muster the votes in the Assembly 
to designate Turkish as an official language in Prizren, a 
Daci-led caucus will not make our jobs any easier.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
¶8. (SBU) U.S. Office Pristina clears this cable in its 
entirety for release to U.N. Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari. 
LASKARIS