VZCZCXRO7090
PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHPS #0594/01 2121554
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 311554Z JUL 07
FM USOFFICE PRISTINA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7582
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1240
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHFMISS/AFSOUTH NAPLES IT
RHMFISS/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

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRISTINA 000594 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE, EUR/ACE, DRL, PRM, SCRS, NSC FOR BRAUN, 
USUN FOR DREW SCHUFLETOWSKI, USOSCE FOR STEVE STEGER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2017 
TAGS: PREF PGOV EAID KCRS YI KV UNMIK SENV PHUM
SUBJECT: KOSOVO:  AT DONOR URGING, UNMIK COMMITS TO CLOSING 
LEAD-CONTAMINATED ROMA CAMP 
 
 
Classified By: COM Tina S. Kaidanow for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary:  UNMIK committed to closing the Cesmin Lug 
Roma camp, which CDC has consistently maintained is unsafe 
for human habitation.  In a July 23 meeting with UN, USOP and 
donor representatives, PDSRSG Schook gave the instruction 
that alternative sites be found for the current Cesmin Lug 
residents, and then the camp be emptied.  Preferably this 
would be done through an awareness campaign, but it might 
require the cessation of services to the camp and -- in 
extremis -- forced eviction.  UNMIK's senior official for 
northern Kosovo opposed closure, arguing that the Roma should 
be allowed to remain in their homes and that any eviction of 
Roma would lead to Albanians pressing property claims in 
northern Kosovo.  We said that the USOP position reflected 
the CDC's report, particularly the conclusion that any 
additional U.S. assistance to support the continued existence 
of Cesmin Lug would be unacceptable and even immoral given 
the serious health risks posed to inhabitants of the camp. 
End summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) At USOP suggestion, PDSRSG Schook called a meeting 
on July 23 to review issues related to displaced Roma in 
northern Mitrovica.  In attendance were UNMIK's Regional 
Representative for Mitrovica Gerard Gallucci, director of 
UNMIK's Department of Civil Administration Anil Vasisht, head 
of UNMIK's local governance unit Leonid Markaryan, and UNMIK 
emergency planning officer Neville Fouche.  DPO, USAID 
Program Officer and POL/ECON Officer represented USOP. 
 
¶3.  (C) After consulting with CDC, we turned over a draft 
copy of its recent report on Cesmin Lug, one of the two camps 
currently housing displaced Roma, and seriously contaminated 
by lead.  Based on CDC's findings, USOP advocated the closure 
of Cesmin Lug and the relocation to the inhabitants to 
Osterode, a site just across the street that CDC believes is 
far safer.  Fouche said that there is room in Osterode for 
the inhabitants of Cesmin Lug, but noted that some 80 new 
residents have moved in since space was vacated by Roma 
moving to the Mahala. 
 
¶4.  (C) UNMIK's Regional Representative for Mitrovica Gerard 
Gallucci opposed the closure of Cesmin Lug.  He said that his 
fear was a precedent could be set by evicting the Roma, 
claiming that it could lead to Albanians demanding that the 
authorities use eviction as a means of resolving property 
disputes in the north.  Schook said that an eviction based on 
a compelling public health concern was different from similar 
steps taken as a result of a property ownership suit. 
Gallucci also maintained that it would be immoral to evict 
Roma from their homes, adding that all of the Mitrovica area 
was lead-contaminated. 
 
¶5.  (C) Schook noted that UNMIK's efforts would be undermined 
if more Roma back-filled vacated residences in Cesmin Lug. 
Fouche said it would be preferable to move the community en 
masse, razing the camp immediately afterwards.  Schook agreed 
that that was a preferable solution.  He maintained that the 
UN should make an effort to prepare new space for the group 
in either Osterode, the Roma Mahalla, or elsewhere.  If that 
is done (in consultation with the UN's Office of Legal 
Affairs), he asserted, the closure of the camp should proceed 
in one of three ways.  The preferable option would be to 
provide an alternative and thorough education, obtaining the 
buy-in of the residents to depart.  If that fails, the 
remaining UN services to the camp should be terminated. 
Gallucci insisted that he would do this only on written 
instructions from the PDSRSG.  Finally, although forced 
eviction is not a desired means to close the camp, Schook, 
asserted, it needs to remain as an option of last resort. 
 
¶6.  (C) USOP representatives agreed with Schook's roadmap for 
closing the camp.  Based on CDC's conclusion that the 
provision of further aid to Cesmin Lug would pose serious 
health risks to inhabitants and could even be considered 
"immoral," DPO noted that USOP would oppose any new 
 
PRISTINA 00000594  002 OF 002 
 
 
assistance to support the continued existence of the camp. 
He added that we would also carefully examine any assistance 
whose unintended consequence was the encouragement of 
residents to remain in Cesmin Lug.  DPO promised that USOP 
would work with UNMIK's public affairs section to ensure that 
the message gets out that this is above all a critical public 
health issue.  Like the UN, we have no desire to forcibly 
evict the Roma from the camp.  However, that might prove to 
be the best -- and necessary -- way to address this issue 
years after it should have been resolved. 
 
¶8.  (C) Comment:  Our policy will remain to push for the 
early and permanent closure of Cesmin Lug.  Fouche later told 
us that it could take 40 days to acheive this objective.  We 
will follow developments in and continue to urge UNMIK to 
take resolute action.  Based on UNMIK's plan forward, we will 
make further assessments about the most advantageous use of 
our assistance funds on behalf of the Roma community. 
KAIDANOW