VZCZCXRO9991
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHPOD #0093 0891149
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 301149Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY PODGORICA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0138
INFO RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHPOD/AMEMBASSY PODGORICA 0145

UNCLAS PODGORICA 000093 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SOCI PREL OPRC MW
SUBJECT: EUR/SCE DIRECTOR HOH'S VISIT EXTENSIVELY COVERED IN LOCAL 
MEDIA 
 
REF: PODGORICA 91 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: The Montenegrin print and electronic media 
extensively covered EUR/SCE Director Christopher Hoh's March 
25-29 visit to Montenegro and his meetings with Montenegrin 
officials, as well with NGOs, religious leaders, and human 
rights figures. Hoh stressed the need for continued reform, USG 
satisfaction with its good relations with Montenegro, and 
support for the Ahtissari proposal on Kosovo. Hoh met directly 
with the press (public TV, and the four leading papers), on 
March 28. End summary. 
 
 
 
¶2. (U) On March 28, Mr. Hoh met with PM Zeljko Sturanovic, 
Deputy PM for European Integration Gordana Djurovic, and Defense 
Minister Boro Vucinic. The press quoted Mr. Hoh as saying during 
the meetings that the "tradition of good relations between U.S. 
and Montenegro will continue and strengthen in line with the new 
status of Montenegro as an independent and sovereign state." He 
praised Montenegrin authorities for preserving peace and 
multiethnic harmony during the crisis in former SFRY and 
assessed as positive Montenegrin efforts to advance European and 
trans-Atlantic integration. Mr. Hoh also underscored the need 
for further reforms in the areas of labor legislation and the 
judiciary. The press noted that the USAID project for 
Montenegro's accession to the WTO, as well as other similar USG 
funded projects, have helped created a better business 
environment in the country. 
 
 
 
¶3. (U) The Public Television of Montenegro (TVCG) aired a 
15-minute interview with Mr. Hoh in its primetime news program 
on March 28. His interview with editors of the four daily 
newspapers conducted on March 28 at Podgorica's American Corner 
focused on the USG views of its relationship with Montenegro, in 
areas such as Kosovo, NATO, and fighting organized crime, 
corruption, and terrorism  and resulted in frontpage stories in 
their March 29 editions. 
 
 
 
¶4. (U) On Kosovo, the most influential newspaper "Vijesti" 
highlighted Hoh's satisfaction with the "responsible attitude" 
of Montenegrin authorities in respect of the Kosovo issue. Hoh 
noted that Montenegro has played an important role in the region 
in many cases, serving as an example in how to promote harmony 
and solve divisive issues like independence without escalating 
tensions. 
 
Hoh added that he would not speculate about the upcoming UNSC 
decision on Kosovo, repeating that the U.S. supports the idea of 
supervised independence for Kosovo. 
 
 
 
¶5. (U) State-owned "Pobjeda" noted Hoh's characterization of 
NATO as an alliance of democracies, with his advice that 
Montenegro take a "step by step" approach in joining  the 
alliance. Anti-government "Dan" focused on Mr. Hoh's statement 
regarding the GoM's abilities to fight against organized crime 
and corruption, specifically his assessment that the GoM has an 
excellent anti-corruption program on paper but the real 
challenge is how this program will be implemented. The September 
9, 2006, arrest of a dozen ethnic Albanians (including three 
American citizens) - a.k.a. "Eagle's Flight" remains a prominent 
local story, and journalists pressed Hoh about the role of the 
USG in the arrests.  In reply, Hoh underscored the important 
role of the USG in providing consular assistance to the arrested 
Americans, which was the story carried by pro-government 
"Republika." 
 
 
 
¶6. (U) The Public Television of Montenegro (TVCG) and private 
NTV Montena on March 27, as well as the daily newspapers 
"Pobjeda," "Dan," and "Republika" on March 28 reported on the 
sidescan sonar donated by the USG to the Regional Center for 
Underwater DeMining in Bijela. The press reported that the 
EUR/SCE director Christopher Hoh and Charge marked the entry 
into service of the sonar "and noted that the civilian Demining 
Center in Bijela was potentially a unique contribution by 
Montenegro to PfP and the NATO community." 
 
 
 
¶7. (U) This cable was not cleared by EUR/SCE Hoh before his 
departure. 
 
BARNES