VZCZCXRO6904
PP RUEHBZ RUEHIK RUEHYG
DE RUCNDT #0239/01 0830129
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 240129Z MAR 07 ZDK
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1587
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE PRIORITY 0135
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 1658
RUEHPS/USOFFICE PRISTINA PRIORITY 0804

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 USUN NEW YORK 000239 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL UNMIK YI
SUBJECT: KOSOVO COMING ATTRACTIONS: ROUTINE UNMIK BRIEFING 
BECOMES STAGE FOR RUSSIANS 
 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000239  001.2 OF 004 
 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. At the March 19 Security Council quarterly 
session on UNMIK, SRSG Rucker reported that steady progress 
continues on Standards and stressed that Kosovo needs clarity 
about its future.  Speaking for Serbia, Coordination Center 
for Kosovo and Metohija President Raskovic-Ivic focused 
mainly on the final status process, warning that Security 
Council decisions would have major impacts outside the 
Balkans.  She also charged that the Ahtisaari proposal is 
one-sided and insisted that autonomy within Serbia is the 
only realistic future for Kosovo.  She said that inter-ethnic 
violence in Kosovo is a serious and continuing problem. 
Russian Permrep Churkin charged that Rucker's statement had 
been "unprecedented in its one-sidedness" and that most of 
what he had said was outside of his purview as SRSG.  Churkin 
insisted that final status negotiations have just begun and 
should continue.  UKUN deputy permrep and USUN permrep 
defended UNMIK's performance; Rucker rebutted Raskovic-Ivic's 
crime statistics.  Following this public meeting, Security 
Council members held closed consultations where all made 
national statements.  The statements of Congo, Ghana and 
South Africa expressed concern related to territorial 
integrity and the setting of precedents.  In the afternoon, 
the UK hosted an Arria-style meeting of the Security Council 
for President Sejdiu.  End summary. 
 
Rucker Reports Steady Progress Interrupted By Outbreak of 
Violence 
 
 
¶2. (SBU) At a March 19 Security Council meeting on the United 
Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), 
SRSG Joachim Rucker reported steady progress in Kosovo on the 
implementation of the eight standards of good governance laid 
down by the international community for Kosovos's Provisional 
Institutions of Self-Government.  Meeting in a private 
meeting format (Council members, interested General Assembly 
members, no press, no television broadcast), Rucker also 
noted that there had recently been violence in Kosovo after a 
long-period of relative calm.  He said such violence by 
extremists would not be tolerated and was not supported by 
the vast majority of Kosovo society.  Rucker expressed 
concern that reactions in Northern Kosovo to the final status 
process could end up spreading to all of Kosovo.  He 
criticized Belgrade for apparently pressuring Kosovo Serbs to 
not participate in Kosovo institutions and said this showed a 
lack of respect for UNSCR 1244.  He said Kosovars, including 
Kosovo Serbs, need clarity about their future. Explaining 
that "managing expectations" in Kosovo is part of his role as 
SRSG and in this regard reported Ahtisaari's settlement 
proposal had generally been well received by Kosovo Albanians 
with concerns focusing on its decentralization provisions, 
which Kosovo Albanians had accepted as part of a difficult 
compromise.  Kosovo Serbs, he said, were mostly negative on 
the proposal. 
 
Raskovic-Ivic: Warns of Impact Around the World 
 
 
¶3. (SBU) Representing Serbia, Coordination Center for Kosovo 
and Metohija President Sanda Raskovic-Ivic told Security 
Council members that their future decision would have a big 
impact not just in Serbia, but around the world.  The 
Security Council, "as the guarantor of the UN charter, must 
protect the principles of international law and should not 
take away 15 percent of Serbia's territory and change its 
internationally recognized borders without its consent," she 
asserted.  No conclusion had been reached in the status 
talks, she charged, because Ahtisaari as mediator had 
overstepped his bounds and helped only one-side.  She also 
alleged Belgrade had proposed 500 amendments to Ahtisaari's 
proposal, but none were accepted and suggested that no one 
had made a successful argument for creating a second Albanian 
state in Europe.  Turning to conditions in Kosovo, 
Raskovic-Ivic said Albanian violence in Kosovo amounted to 
terrorism no different from terrorism anywhere else in the 
world.  Noting that the Minister of Internal Affairs in 
Kosovo had resigned after the recent deaths of two Kosovo 
Albanians, she alleged that 931 Serb deaths over 7 1/2 years 
had produced no resignations.  She also asserted that Kosovo 
Albanian authorities were systematically preventing the 
return of Serbs and that recent figures for returns were 
lower than 2005, but that even those were exaggerated.  She 
also said 41,000 Serbs had lived in Pristina in 1999 whereas 
now there are fewer than 100.  Returning to the final status 
process, Raskovic-Ivic concluded by calling Ahtisaari's 
proposal "one-sided and what is needed for the province is a 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000239  002.2 OF 004 
 
 
model of substantial autonomy that leads to a realistic, 
sustainable solution setting no precedent." 
 
Rucker Chastises Belgrade 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) Rucker took the floor again and, without referring 
to Raskovic-Ivic by name, rebutted some of the 
"mis-statements on figures that were presented," referring 
Council members to the SYG report and annexes for more 
detail.  He highlighted the overall 70 percent decrease in 
ethnic violence during the reporting period.  He also said 
that recent figures showed 92-98 percent of Kosovars (i.e., 
more than just the Albanian population) believe that freedom 
of movement is at acceptable levels.  He said that Belgrade 
should avoid ascribing ethnic motives to crimes before all of 
the facts are collected. 
 
Russia's Churkin: Accuses Rucker of Delivering Sermon 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) Saying "above all he wanted to thank Dr. 
Raskovic-Ivic for her presence" and then "noting the 
presence" of Rucker and "his delegation" (pointedly without 
an express acknowledgment of Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu), 
Russian Permrep Churkin charged that Rucker's statement had 
been "unprecedented in its one-sidedness and that most of 
what he had said was outside of his purview."  Churkin 
continued that he would have thought he was being addressed 
by Ahtisaari after being treated to "a sermon on a subject 
that had not come before the Security Council yet."  He 
averred that "talking about status before it is the 
appropriate time is one reason why we are in the situation 
that we are now."  Churkin stated that Serbs in Kosovo still 
did not feel secure and it was hard to understand some of the 
assertions in Rucker's report.  Churkin said negotiations had 
only just begun on dialogue and there should be a 
continuation by the parties of the negotiating process 
because an imposed settlement cannot exist.  He noted that 
Rucker had said a status decision needed to be acceptable to 
the people of Kosovo, but that also meant it needed to be 
acceptable to all the major ethnic groups, a principle that 
reaffirmed the need for a negotiated settlement acceptable to 
both sides. 
 
U.S. and UK Defend Rucker 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) Speaking for the UK, Deputy Permrep Karen Pierce 
took the floor and stated that the SRSG had the Council's 
full support and as a person appointed by the Council was the 
only person qualified to give an assessment to the Council. 
She said Kai Eide had also been given a mandate and decided, 
two years ago, that progress on standards had already been 
sufficient to begin status talks.  Ambassador Wolff 
complemented Rucker on his presentation, underscoring that 
Rucker had addressed keys issues pertinent to his mandate 
such as decentralization, Northern Kosovo, inter-ethnic crime 
and Belgrade's interference with Kosovo Serb participation in 
institutions.  No other members intervened during the private 
meeting. 
 
Consultations 
 
 
¶7. (SBU) Adjourning to closed consultations (Council members 
and UN officials only), all delegations participated 
actively.  Congo's permrep said African countries had many 
minorities and were "not comfortable" with the Kosovo 
problem.  Some were trying to create upheaval in the province 
and there was an urgent need for a lasting solution, but that 
should not mean favoring one party.  Congo welcomed a 
solution acceptable to both sides and would not hide that it 
was "more comfortable in the role of an official presiding 
over a marriage than a judge conducting a divorce."  Congo 
said unity in the Security Council would be important and we 
should keep in mind the principle of territorial integrity of 
states.  Ghana's permrep said his country regretted that 
considerable mistrust still existed between the two sides and 
hoped the two groups could narrow their differences.  South 
Africa's permrep said all possibilities for a mutually 
acceptable solution in accordance with international law had 
to be explored.  The South African spoke of the dilemma 
Africans faced by countries with imposed borders they had 
never accepted and many minorities.  He remarked that people 
talked about the possibility of Kosovar violence and riots 
but those were nothing new to Africans as they were a reality 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000239  003.2 OF 004 
 
 
seen every day, adding that "our people don't need a 
resolution to tell them to fight."  South Africa was 
concerned about altering the borders of a sovereign state. 
Ahtisaari had met their President and they expected clearer 
instructions, but that did not take away from the serious 
issues. 
 
¶8. (SBU) China stated that the question of Kosovo had entered 
a crucial phase but there should not be any less attention to 
standards.  China was concerned about recent violence in 
Kosovo and said the Security Council at the proper time would 
review the status of Kosovo and consider the views of both 
sides and neighbors in the region.  China believed a 
settlement plan approved by both sides would be "the most 
prudent way out."  On handling Kosovo, he acknowledged, "the 
EU has unique influence and advantage." 
 
¶9. (SBU) France stated that it believed Ahtisaari's plan was 
the only realistic one that would be workable.  Italy's 
permrep said his country felt a particular responsibility 
toward this European problem because of its geographic and 
historical proximity.  He said Italy believes it is time for 
a new Kosovo status arrangement and strongly supports 
Ahtisaari but added that "more standards implementation is 
needed."  Belgium explicitly said it would support 
Ahtisaari's recommendations.  UK's Pierce said that the 
problem heretofore had been Serbia's lack of flexibility and 
it was constraining its own future. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Slovakia said UNMIK needs to remain strong and that 
it opposed violence regardless of country of origin and the 
state of the status process. Slovakia was also concerned 
about the Venvendosije movement but shared Rucker's positive 
assessment of implementation of standards and the thirteen 
priorities and called for continuation of that trend. 
 
¶11. (SBU) Qatar stated that state institutions in Kosovo were 
stable and effective, but said more progress was possible. 
Kosovo needed the support and backing of the international 
community. 
 
¶12. (SBU) Peru noted the report mentioned some progress on 
standards but more is needed.  Violence should not be 
tolerated and despite some positive developments, rebuilding 
churches and religious sites had not been completed yet. 
Peru regretted that Serbs were not participating in 
institutions.  Peru said it could talk status at a later 
time, but supports a resolution based on international law 
and previous Security Council resolutions.  Peru believed the 
EU could play a particular role.  Panama stated that a 
solution on final status was important as there could not be 
any economic or social progress without it. 
 
¶13. (SBU) U.S. Ambassador Wolff noted that we were encouraged 
by significant implementation on priority standards, although 
we looked for continued progress.  He said we condemned 
recent acts of violence.  Ambassador Wolff agreed with the 
SYG's assessment that after eight years the people of Kosovo 
needed clarity about their future.  He endorsed the Ahtisaari 
package and said the status package of Ahtisaari was fair and 
balanced. 
 
¶14. (SBU) Indonesia claimed the report mentioned violence but 
no attempts to prevent it and that lack of clarity on status 
should not be an excuse for violence. A stable Kosovo 
requires more than expectations and part of UNMIK's job 
should be managing those expectations.  Indonesia also 
charged that a careful reading of the report suggested "final 
status was ready and UNMIK would be ending this year but we 
could not put the cart before the horse."  Indonesia believed 
that the Council should decide the speed and timing of 
UNMIK's closure. 
 
¶15. (SBU) Russian Deputy Permrep, obviously given little 
latitude while his boss was outside talking to the press, was 
gratified that many delegations had mentioned a link between 
standards and status.  He said Russia believes the potential 
of negotiations was far from fully exhausted. 
 
Arria Meeting 
 
¶16. (SBU)  The UK hosted an informal "Arria-style" meeting 
for Kosovo President Sejdiu, who attended the Council's 
private meeting as a member of UNMIK's delegation.  Reading 
from a speech in Albanian, Sejdiu said that for the Kosovars 
independence was the alpha and the omega but that that they 
were also prepared to do their utmost to build a multi-ethnic 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000239  004.2 OF 004 
 
 
and democratic society in Kosovo with a future in Europe. 
Sejdiu stressed that many of the compromises the Kosovars had 
agreed to in the Vienna talks had been very difficult but 
that the Kosovars accepted and supported Ahtisaari's package. 
 
 
¶17. (SBU)  Sejdiu's answer to every question was 
independence.  France stated that much had been done on 
standards but more was needed. Sejdiu replied that clarity on 
status would facilitate implementation of standards.  Italy 
asked Sejdiu what he was doing to prevent violence.  Sejdiu 
replied that resolution of the status question would defuse 
tension and was urgently needed.  Germany asked about 
Kosovo's economic prospects. Sejdiu responded that without 
clarity on status, Kosovo could not attract foreign 
investors.  Russia's working-level representative thanked 
President Sejdiu and said Russia sees standards and status as 
linked and believes that more needs to be done.  The Russian 
representative said negotiations should continue. 
 
¶18. (SBU) Qatar stated that it had common ground with the 
Kosovars as it was repairing its own constitution and lived 
in a region filled with conflict and knew that solutions had 
to also come from within.  Sejdiu's presence before the 
Council proved that the Kosovars took this seriously at the 
highest level.  Qatar wished them the best of luck. 
WOLFF