VZCZCXRO2014
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBW #0397/01 1091552
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 181552Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0195
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 0290

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BELGRADE 000397 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF PGOV PHUM PREL KV SR
SUBJECT: SERBIA:  REFUGEE COORDINATOR WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT:  APRIL 
11-18, 2008 
 
REF: BELGRADE 367 
 
BELGRADE 00000397  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
KOSOVO MINISTRY: U.S., EU TO BLAME FOR FAILURE OF RETURNS 
 
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¶1.  (SBU) On April 11, refcoord participated in the United 
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) bi-monthly 
Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) working group featuring the 
Kosovo Ministry's Coordination Center President Vuko 
Antonijevic.  Participants included a number of IDP 
associations.  The session focused on the future of Serb returns 
to Kosovo.  Antonijevic (DSS) blamed the international 
community, particularly the United States and European Union, 
for the failure of Serb returns to Kosovo.  "The U.S. and EU 
want to see an ethnically cleansed, independent Kosovo and we 
cannot close our eyes to this.  The United States is the most 
responsible for the lack of return.  The assistance money it 
provides for return is spent on strategy and planning, rather 
than actual return," Antonijevic said.  He said the GOS would 
continue to "insist on return of all Kosovo Serbs to Kosovo." 
Antonijevic added that even though UNHCR statistics indicate 
16,000 Serbs had returned to Kosovo, the figure was inflated and 
that in reality only 2,000 to 3,000 Serbs had actually returned 
and stayed in Kosovo.  "The international community has done 
everything in its power to discourage returns in order to 
justify the independence of Kosovo," he said.  He also faulted 
Kosovo authorities and Kosovo Albanians for low returns figures. 
 "There have been 7,108 ethnically motivated attacks on Serbs 
since 1999, not to mention the looting of Serb property and 
destroying of churches, monasteries and cemeteries.  All of this 
has contributed to the failure of returns," he said. 
 
 
 
ANTONIJEVIC:  JOVANOVIC WRONGFULLY DETAINED 
 
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¶2.  (SBU) Referring to the March 12 arrest in Kosovo of IDP Serb 
Momcilo Jovanovic while participating in a UNHCR funded Danish 
Refugee Council (DRC) go-and-see visit (GSV,) Antonijevic said 
Jovanovic was wrongfully detained and that UNHCR and DRC were 
responsible for his arrest.  Turning to face UNHCR Serbia 
Representative Lennart Kotsalainen, he said, "You have to ensure 
the security of GSV participants because there is no rule of law 
in Kosovo and no one there respects individual rights.  Why have 
you not done more for him? He is not a criminal.  He was 
arrested so he could be prevented from returning."  Antonijevic 
said the Kosovo Ministry had spent 5,000 euros on Jovanovic's 
legal representation thus far. 
 
 
 
NO SOUL, NO SPIRIT FOR SERBIA WITHOUT KOSOVO 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Antonijevic said that Kosovo declared independence to 
prevent Serbs from returning.  He questioned how viable Kosovo 
independence could be if only "146,000 Serbs live in Kosovo, 
compared to 300,000 in 1999."  Serbia would never give up its 
quest to keep Kosovo as part of its territory and affirmed his 
own family would forever remain in Kosovo, Antonijevic said, 
adding that  "without Krajina and without Republica Srpska we 
are fine.  Without Kosovo, we have no soul, no spirit." 
Antonijevic remarked sarcastically that it was a coincidence 
that Carla Del Ponte released her book, which cites Albanian 
violence toward Serbs, immediately following Kosovo declaration. 
 
 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Antonijevic said that nothing had changed in Kosovo 
since 1999 in terms of security, freedom of movement, access to 
employment, property restitution, or housing reconstruction for 
Serbs in Kosovo.  He said that only Albanian homes had been 
reconstructed and that there was never enough money for Serb 
homes.  Though he conceded that all stakeholders, including the 
GOS were responsible for the lack of progress in these areas, 
the GOS was "the least responsible."  He lauded Russia for its 
recent donation of humanitarian assistance for Serb enclaves in 
Kosovo, calling Support from Russia "very encouraging." 
 
 
 
FRUSTRATED IDPS DEMAND TO KNOW GOS PLANS, INTENTIONS 
 
BELGRADE 00000397  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
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¶5.  (SBU) IDPs expressed frustration that neither Antonijevic 
nor his staff made themselves available to answer questions 
after the session on GOS plans for the future of IDPs. 
"Antonijevic's comments were predictable.  I could have read 
everything he said in the newspaper.  You cannot call this a 
dialogue.  I think we deserve to know what our government not 
just the international community is planning for us," one IDP 
said.  Nada Culjak-Banjac of the Balkan Center for Migration, a 
local NGO that provides free legal assistance to IDPs and 
refugees, said that Antonijevic's comments and his refusal to 
questions from session participants outraged her.  "Antonievic 
told us he is pro-return, but he did not share a plan for the 
how the Kosovo Ministry intends to make returns happen.  We, as 
IDP representatives, have a right to ask the government what its 
true intentions are.  What is the plan?  If return is not 
possible let's say so and help IDPs move on with their lives," 
she said.  Culjak-Banjac said it was also important to identify 
IDPs who were willing to return to and accept an independent 
Kosovo. 
 
 
 
MERCK DONTATES 9,800 EUROS IN MEDICINE TO UNHCR 
 
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¶6.  (SBU) Serbia Country Manager for Merck Sharp & Dohme 
Pharmaceutical Gabriel Dina informed refcoord April 18 the 
company had donated medicine to UNHCR's Health Unit totaling 
9,800 euros.  Refcoord had introduced Dina to UNHCR in late 2007 
and following his visit to several collective centers, UNHCR 
provided him with a list of medications for extremely vulnerable 
and ailing IDPs and refugees.  Dina told refcoord that he was 
working with Merck's corporate foundation on "something of 
bigger scope and impact." 
 
 
 
CHURCH WORLD SERVICE TO APPLY FOR PRM FY08 FUNDING CYCLE 
 
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¶7.  (U) On April 17, refcoord met with Church World Service 
(CWS) Regional Coordinator, Vitali Vorona, to discuss CWS 
interest in PRM's FY2008 open call for NGO programs benefiting 
refugees and internally displaced persons in the Balkans. 
Vorona said that he planned to submit a proposal focused on 
income generation (small grants and micro-credit loans) and 
legal assistance for IDPs.  CWS will target Belgrade-based Roma 
for the project.  Vorona told refcoord that one of the 
proposal's objectives would be to monitor the pace of Roma 
primary school enrollment and attendance for children of project 
beneficiaries.  CWS has a regional presence and implements 
projects in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova and Georgia. 
 Vorona said PRM previously funded CWS activities in Bosnia and 
Herzegovina. 
 
 
 
COMMENT 
 
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¶8.  (SBU) Antonijevic is one of the last in a series of GOS 
employees to trot out the shopworn complaints about minimal 
levels of returns and blame.  Nevertheless, the GOS has done 
precious little to facilitate or fund returns, while dedicating 
scant support for displaced persons who want to stay in Serbia. 
Had he given us the opportunity to ask, we would have been 
prepared to comment on the robust USG return-related assistance 
in the Balkans over the past decade.  End Comment. 
MUNTER