VZCZCXRO8085
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBW #1641/01 3441748
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 101748Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1866
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BELGRADE 001641 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SR KV BK
SUBJECT:  South Serbia Fears "Neglect" by Belgrade and the 
International Community 
 
REF:  BELGRADE 1482 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1.  (SBU) According to Serb and Albanian leaders in Southern Serbia, 
the central government is neglecting the region's economic and 
political needs, and is only focused on the immediate security 
issues stemming from a decision on Kosovo.  In meetings with 
international representatives, at an OSCE commemoration of six years 
of working in the region, both sides said that past progress in 
police, judicial and local government reform could backslide as 
international attention shifted.  The security situation is stable, 
but interlocutors have noticed an increase in Gendarmerie 
activities.  Both Albanian and Serb leaders have a mutual interest 
in a stable and prosperous Southern Serbia and must decide to 
continue working together - and with the central authorities - even 
while international focus - and funds - moves elsewhere post Kosovo 
status.  End Summary. 
 
Belgrade Not Present 
-------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) During separate December 6 meetings in the Southern Serbia 
town of Bujanovac, Serb and Albanian leaders told the DCM, the OSCE 
Ambassador and representatives of other diplomatic missions that 
central government authorities had neglected the region and had 
shown little commitment to resolving its long-term development 
needs.  Both sides faulted Belgrade's lack of involvement in the 
region, noting that only the Minister for Public Administration and 
Local Government (Milan Markovic of the Democratic Party) had 
visited the region since the new government was formed in May 2007. 
Stojanca Arsic, Serb leader from Bujanovac said local Serbs needed 
further support from Belgrade authorities, particularly in regard to 
economic development, citing deficiencies in infrastructure and 
power supply.  Albanian leader Ragmi Mustafa said there also had 
been little involvement from central authorities on judicial and 
local reforms, saying "we can't have a serious conversation when one 
side is not listening."  Riza Halimi, the only Albanian Member of 
Parliament, said he had tried to raise his concerns with the 
government regarding the lack of involvement in the region, but had 
received no response. 
 
Southern Serbia Still needs the International Community 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Both Serb and Albanian leaders stressed they needed the 
international community's continued involvement in the region, while 
voicing concerns that this involvement was waning.  The 
international community needed to facilitate greater communication 
between regional and central authorities, said local DSS Serb 
representative Goran Taskovic.  Bujanovac DS representative Miodrag 
Milkovic singled out the EU, saying that the EU needed to form a 
"partnership relationship" with the region.  Mustafa said that as 
long as there was no international representative on the 
government's Coordinating Body for South Serbia, the institution 
would be unable to appropriately function.  Halimi said that as a 
decision on Kosovo neared closer, he hoped that "the region would 
not be forgotten during these hard and difficult times." 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Following the Albanian leaders' presentations, DCM noted 
that both groups actually agreed on the two main themes, perception 
of decreased Belgrade and international community attention.  She 
was disappointed, however, that both groups continued to focus on 
their problems and seek outside assistance rather than working 
together to articulate a vision for the future.  The UK Ambassador 
and Italian DCM reinforced DCM's points.  During a follow-on 
reception, both Serb and Albanian leaders faulted OSCE for the 
organization of separate meetings and said they were both able and 
willing to sit at the same table to work on problem-solving and 
strategic planning. 
 
Southern Serbia's Security Situation Stable 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) While Serbia's military appears to be acting in a 
restrained manner, there is little straightforward information 
regarding the increased actions of the Gendarmerie in the region. 
In a separate December 6 meeting, the Serbian Army's Land Forces 
Commander in Nis, Lieutenant General Mladen Cirkovic told the DCM 
that the military was prepared to defend Southern Serbia and said he 
did not expect the military would be involved in the Kosovo status 
solution.  Cirkovic said the military was prepared to help the 
Serbian Red Cross if there was a refugee crisis post status.  He 
said the police were involved in dealing with "extremists" in the 
Administrative Boundary area and admitted that he had minimal 
contact with the Gendarmerie.   Requests for the DCM to meet with 
the Gendarmerie's regional headquarters were denied, citing busy 
schedules.  Local NGO representatives in Bujanovac told the DCM, on 
December 6, that there had been an increased presence of the 
Gendarmerie in the region over the past several weeks, with 
 
BELGRADE 00001641  002 OF 002 
 
 
additional paramilitaries deployed and patrolling the areas.  Local 
leaders stated their concern that any unrest in Kosovo could fuel 
the radicals in both ethnic communities in Southern Serbia, leading 
to a more polarized political situation. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) While the central government's neglect of Southern Serbia 
merits attention, complaints by local leaders that the international 
community is disengaging from the region appears driven by a concern 
that the region will be forgotten once Kosovo status is determined. 
Although the international community remains engaged, local leaders 
need to facilitate further cooperation among themselves to 
capitalize upon previous reforms and to prevent backsliding.  The 
two ethnic communities have voiced and shown their willingness to 
work together on issues of mutual importance, such as economic 
growth, and need to engage central authorities as a unified front. 
Post will continue to assure local leaders that we are engaged and 
watching Southern Serbia during this tense period to make certain 
that there is no "spillover" from a decision on Kosovo.  Post will 
also encourage central authorities to take a more proactive role in 
working with local leaders to assure the region's continued 
political stability and future economic development.  End Comment. 
 
 
MUNTER