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OO RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBW #0694/01 1381522
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 181522Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0856
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BELGRADE 000694 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PBTS PREL PGOV SR
SUBJECT:  Kosovo Weekly Report (May 14- 18, 2007) 
 
 
¶1.  (u)  This report covers activities related to Kosovo for the 
week of May 14. 
 
¶2.  (sbu)  Summary:  Kosovo news took a back seat again this week to 
the announcement of the formation of a coalition government just 
before the deadline.  Kostunica's policy speech during the 
government formation vote highlighted that long-standing 
rejectionist policies on Kosovo would continue in the new 
government.  New FM Jeremic stated that the new government's policy 
on Kosovo would be the same as the previous government's. By the end 
of the week, attention had turned to analysis of the Secretary's 
visit to Moscow and the likely impacts on the Kosovo status process. 
 Most media, mischaracterizing statements by A/S Fried in Brussels 
May 16, reported that the USG had rejected the possibility of 
unilateral recognition of an independent Kosovo in the event of the 
failure of a UNSCR.  The Ambassador will correct the record in an 
appropriate way in an interview with BETA news service May 21.  End 
summary. 
 
GOVERNMENT OF SERBIA ACTIVITIES 
 
¶3.  (sbu)  In his half-hour speech in Parliament May 15 as part of 
the vote to ring in the new government, PM Kostunica underlined five 
priorities of the new government, and as expected accentuated the 
issue of the Kosovo status.  He pointed out that EU membership was 
Serbia's proclaimed determination, but that association to the Union 
could not be compensation for the loss of Kosovo.  Kostunica 
reminded that the Serbian constitution states that every state 
institution had a central obligation to preserve the sovereignty and 
territorial integrity of the country. Therefore, the first program 
principle of the new government relates to the clear defining of the 
state policy towards Kosovo "as Serbia's essential and inalienable 
part."  And that this Government will lead a principled policy based 
on the belief that any one-sided recognition of Kosovo's 
independence would represent the harshest violation of the UN 
charter, and would have to count on this causing serious 
consequences in relations with recognizing states.  Following the 
formation of the government May 15 and the announcement that it 
would include a new Ministry for Kosovo, CCK head Sanda 
Raskovic-Ivic confirmed that the new ministry would "absorb" the 
Coordination Center for Kosovo. 
 
¶4.  (sbu)  On May 16, Belgrade media reported that President Tadic 
said that Serbia has a legitimate right to defend her interests 
liked with Kosovo, an nobody can asked her to give up Kosovo. Tadic 
told the press at a conference of European and Western Balkans 
socialist and social democratic parties that Serbia will never give 
up Kosovo or its pursuit of membership in the European Union. 
 
REPORTED USG STATEMENTS 
 
¶5.  (sbu)  Local media carried the Ambassador's May 11 B92 
interview, in which he said that the draft resolution has the 
necessary support. He added that Russia could lodge a veto but that 
his belief that a resolution would be adopted was based on the fact 
that the status quo in Kosovo is untenable.  Meanwhile, local press 
carried U/S Burns' comment May 14 in Zagreb that Kosovo should gain 
independence by the end of May, a decision which the UNSC should 
vote on. He told reporters that at the summit of the Southeast 
Europe Cooperation Process, the US would proposed a resolution to 
its European allies which he estimated would lead towards Kosovo 
independence by the end of the month. 
 
¶6.  (sbu)  Belgrade media reported May 15 that the Secretary said in 
advance of meetings in Moscow that the concerns of Russia and Serbia 
should be taken into consideration but that is not a reason to 
prolong efforts to resolve the status of Kosovo.  Local media 
prominently reported on the Secretary's comments in Moscow that it 
would be "impossible" for Kosovo to be part of Serbia again. 
 
¶7.  (sbu)  On May 17, most Belgrade media carried coverage of A/S 
Fried's comments at a press roundtable in Brussels May 16, in which 
he reiterated the USG's preference for reaching a solution to Kosovo 
through the UNSC process and highlighted the choice between a 
controlled versus an uncontrolled outcome.  Unfortunately, virtually 
all press, keying off a facile AP summary, wholly mis-characterized 
his comments as a USG rejection of the possibility of unilateral 
recognition.  In coordination with A/S Fried, the Ambassador will 
correct the record in an interview with BETA news service May 21. 
 
DIPLOMATIC ACTIVITIES 
 
¶8.  (sbu)  Russian PERMREP Churkin's assessment that the possibility 
of a Russian veto on the UNSC draft resolution is becoming more and 
more likely were reported May 14.  Also on May 14, Tanjug reported 
that Swedish FonMin Karl Bildt said it was necessary to adopt a new 
UNSC resolution on Kosovo so that the EU can send its forces to 
Kosovo to replace NATO.  He added we need clear timeframes, and 
these can be put in place only by a UNSC resolution. Meanwhile, the 
EU Council of Ministers decided to extend to September 1 the mandate 
of the European Union Planning Team (EUPT) for a possible police and 
judiciary operation in Kosovo which should e sent there once the 
final status of the province is defined and the UNSC approves the 
 
BELGRADE 00000694  002 OF 002 
 
 
operation. 
 
¶9.  (sbu)  The Brussels-based International Crisis Group, in a 
report published May 14, suggested that the West should consider a 
moratorium on Kosovo's membership to the UN to soften Moscow's 
opposition to the resolution drafted by US and EU partners. ICG 
recommended small revisions in the Ahtisaari's plan in order to 
demonstrate responsiveness to Russia's prerogatives, in particular 
creation of a Special Envoy for Minorities and 2-year moratorium 
before Kosovo can apply for UN membership. 
 
¶10.  (sbu)  Following the Secretary's visit to Moscow, Belgrade 
electronic media reported that Russian FonMin Lavrov stated that 
respective stands of Russia and the U.S. are not getting closer even 
after the Secretary's talk with President Putin.  However, he said 
both countries have agreed to tone down their rhetoric in a bid to 
improve strained ties. 
 
¶11.  (sbu)  South African FonMin Zuma said on May 14 that her 
country will soon define its position on a Kosovo status settlement. 
 In the meantime, the city council of Belgrade unanimously voted 
former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela an honorary citizen 
of Belgrade. 
 
¶12.  (sbu)  Slovakian FonMin Jan Kubis declared May 16 in Belgrade 
that Slovakia will protect Serbia's legitimate interests on the 
occasion of the adoption of the resolution on Kosovo at the UNSC. 
He also said that the Slovakian delegation in the UNSC will act in 
accordance with the decision approved by the Slovakian parliament, 
and added that the new resolution on Kosovo needs to be approved as 
soon as possible as it is a precondition for regional stability and 
development.  The new Foreign Minister called Slovakia Serbia's 
closest ally. 
 
¶13.  (sbu)  Macedonian PM Gruevski announced on May 17 that 
Macedonia endorses the Kosovo status plan proposed by Ahtisaari and 
awaits action of the UNSC. 
 
¶14.  (sbu)  Pro- government Politika printed on May 18 the alleged 
Russian proposal for Kosovo in the UNSC.  According to Politika, 
Russia maintains that a new resolution for Kosovo should incorporate 
primarily a reaffirmation of UNSC Res. 1244, which guarantees 
Serbia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and notes the need 
to resume Belgrade-Pristina negotiations with a balanced 
international mediation since political progress has been inadequate 
in defining Kosovo's status.  By May 18, both the French-initiated 
draft and Russian elements had been printed in many Serbian dailies 
and weeklies. 
 
POLT