VZCZCXRO5921
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBW #0597/01 1241625
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 041625Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0759
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC 1338
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BELGRADE 000597 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PBTS UNSC PGOV PREL PHUM KPAO SR
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: SERBIA WEEKLY UPDATE (4/30-5/4) 
 
REFS: A) BELGRADE 582  B) BELGRADE 569 AND PREVIOUS 
 
¶1. (U) This cable summarizes notable events relating to 
Serbia and Kosovo. 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶2.  (sbu)  This was an abbreviated week for Kosovo-related news owing 
to a 2-day May Day holiday.  Media focus at the beginning of the week 
was on the SCM visit that concluded in Kosovo over the preceding 
weekend (ref a).  Serbian media also continues its (seemingly 
orchestrated) offensive to make as much political hay as possible out 
of real or perceived statements critical of the Ahtisaari plan or the 
UNSC process. 
 
SCM VISIT FOLLOW-UP 
------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Serbian press reporting, both electronic and print, has 
consistently portrayed a far different picture of the recent 
Security Council Mission (SCM) to Belgrade and Kosovo than facts on 
the ground would warrant.  The press focused most of its attention 
during the Belgrade portion of the visit on three issues:  the 
government's claim that the visit represented a renewed negotiations 
process; the changing attitudes in the UNSC evidenced by a remark by 
the South African PermRep; and the need for the SCM to visit more 
Serb enclaves and the IDP rally in Jarinje.  This focus was sustained 
despite a far more balanced and nuanced press conference given by the 
head of the SCM, Belgian PermRep Verbeke, at the end of the Belgrade 
portion of the visit that highlighted, inter alia, that New York and 
the Ahtisaari plan would continue to be the focus of UNSC 
deliberations and that the visit must be a balanced one (ref a). 
Serbian press also covered Verbeke's initial oral report in NY later 
in the week, reporting his assessment that the mission served its 
purpose and provided an opportunity for the diplomats of the UNSC to 
see the Kosovo situation first hand. 
 
GOS ACTIVITIES 
-------------- 
 
¶4.  (sbu)  On May 3, CCK Head (and DSS VP) Sanda Raskovic-Ivic said 
that the US-EU Kosovo document announced earlier in the week 
flagrantly dictates a solution and ignores the views of Russia, China 
and some non-permanent members of the UNSC.   FonMin Draskovic told 
B92 that the US and EU are putting pressure for a new Kosovo 
resolution to be put before the end of May despite differences with 
Russia.  Presidential adviser and future FONMIN hopeful Vuk Jeremic 
said the US and EU are simply emphasizing their official positions 
ahead of the UNSC debate. 
 
¶5.  (sbu)  Local press widely reported this week that an undiscovered 
mass grave, containing the bodies of Kosovo Albanians from the 
conflict of the late 1990s, could exist but the news is still not 
officially confirmed.  On the basis of a statement by a witness that 
a truck unloaded bodies near the site during the 1999 NATO bombing, 
the War Crimes Prosecutor's Office requested a court in Belgrade 
investigate, and a preliminary exhumation should begin on June 5. 
The existence of this potential site has long been known to Serbian 
and UNMIK authorities.  On the basis of preliminary information sent 
to Embassy RLA by UNMIK in February, RLA, S/WCI and UNMIK reps met 
with War Crimes Investigative Judge Dilparic February 13 to secure 
GoS agreement to excavate the site. This resulted in an agreement 
that a preliminary dig would be held in presence of UNMIK. After some 
delay in the issuing of the dig permit (Dilparic held things up 
requesting more specific information about the target area), a 
follow-up meeting in April was held at the proposed place of the dig 
in Raska and there was an agreement to start the dig in early June. 
 
OTHER DIPLOMATIC INITIATIVES 
---------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (sbu)  Serbian press reported Swedish FonMin Carl Bildt's 
criticism of statements by former USG official Richard Holbrook to 
the effect that official Washington would recognize the unilaterally 
proclaimed independence of Kosovo.  Bildt said such an approach 
represents "playing with fire", and said that in order to resolve the 
future status of Kosovo, the UNSC had first to adopt a resolution. 
Some analysts note that the presumed intent of the statement was to 
forge European consensus around the need for a UNSCR in order to 
solidify EU backing for a new resolution, local press portrayed it 
more as a straight admonition of USG policy.  The same process played 
out later in the week when Norwegian Diplomat Kai Eide stated that a 
unilateral recognition of Kosovo's independence without a UNSC 
resolution would be dangerous as this would mean that Kosovo's status 
would not be legal, which would in turn create problems for the 
international community planning to enter Kosovo with a new EU-led 
mission. Eide then stressed that the UNSC members must do everything 
it can to reach an agreement. 
 
BELGRADE 00000597  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶7.  (u)  Serbian Press Spun the London CG POLDIRs Meeting in 
reporting May 4, highlighting that Russian Deputy FonMin Titov 
reiterated his proposal to draft an overview of the implementation of 
Res. 1244 and to encourage the negotiation process between Belgrade 
and Pristina brokered by the international community.  Serbian public 
broadcaster RTS characterized the meeting as being held at the 
initiative of Russia and aimed at resolving the Kosovo problem by 
taking into account the UNSC mission visits to the region. 
 
¶8.  (sbu)  German Deputy FonMin Erler did passably well in hewing to 
agreed CG positions in Belgrade meetings May 3.  Local press played 
up his statement that Germany opposes any announcement of one-sided 
recognition of Kosovo until Res. 1244 is implemented, but also 
reported that Erler informed Belgrade's leadership about the 
positions of all 27 EU members which consider Ahtisaari's plan for 
resolving the Kosovo status as a compromise to which there is no 
reasonable alternative.  Local press also mentioned Erler's statement 
that the responsibility for resolution of the Kosovo issue is with 
the UN, and that the UN will decide whether or not Res. 1244 would be 
replaced. 
 
 
POLT