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R 030315Z APR 08
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UNCLAS STATE 034320 
 
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THE FOLLOWING BELGRADE 000325 DTD 02APR08 SENT ACTION 
STATE INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE JAC MOLESOWRTH 
RAF MOLESWORTH UK NSC SECDEF USEUCOM JIC VAIHINGEN GE 
BELGRADE REPEATED FOR YOUR INFO 03APR08 
 
 
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UNCLAS BELGRADE 000325 
 
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E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KV SR
SUBJECT: SERBIA:  REFUGEE COORDINATOR WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT:  MARCH 
24-28, 2008 
 
UNHCR SERBIA: NOT THE RIGHT TIME TO DISCUSS DURABLE SOLUTIONS 
WITH GOS 
 
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¶1.  (SBU) On March 27, refcord met with UNHCR Serbia Senior 
Program Coordinator Angelita Cecere to discuss country 
operations planning.  Cecere told refcord UNHCR Serbia submitted 
a two year budget (2008-2009) plan in March 2007 and this year 
planned only a few revisions to the original submission.  Cecere 
said she and UNHCR Serbia Representative Lennart Kotsalainen 
would consult with key partners and GOS contacts this fall to 
discuss durable solutions for the remaining internally displaced 
persons (IDP) and refugee caseload.  Cecere said UNHCR 
representatives in the Western Balkans would meet this summer to 
discuss strategies for the region.  In a March 26 email to 
refcord on country operations planning, Kotsalainen wrote, "It 
is extremely difficult at this point of time with upcoming 
elections in Serbia and the increasingly complex situation in 
Kosovo to have meaningful consultations on needed changes in our 
strategies." Referring to GOS unwillingness to consider 
integration of IDPs into Serbia along with return to Kosovo as a 
durable solution, he wrote, "... some changes will be required 
in our durable solutions strategy for Kosovo (both in terms of 
return and local integration) but it is not the right time to 
discuss this... with the Government." 
 
UNHCR RECEIVES ONE MILLION EURO ROMA LEGAL ASSISTANCE GRANT FROM 
EU 
 
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¶2.  (SBU) Cecere told refcord March 27 UNHCR received a one 
million Euro 18 month grant for legal assistance to vulnerable 
Roma in the Balkans, to include Serbia (300,000 EUR), Kosovo 
(200,000 EUR,) Macedonia (150,000 EUR,) Montenegro (150,000 EUR) 
and Bosnia (150,000 EUR.)  Cecere said the aim of the project 
was twofold: conduct a civil registration campaign aimed at 
registration of Roma children into birth registries and 
subsequent registration of unregistered parents, and provide 
direct free legal aid to the Roma population at large. 
According to Cecere, UNHCR Serbia will implement the project 
beginning May 6 in 20 select municipalities. 
 
UNHCR SERBIA DISCUSSES JOVANOVIC CASE WITH KOSOVO MINISTRY 
 
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¶3.  (SBU) On March 28, UNHCR Senior Protection Officer John 
Young and Danish Refugee Council (DRC) Balkans Representative 
Anders Engberg met Assistant Minister for Kosovo Vuko 
Antonijevic to assure the Ministry UNHCR was doing everything 
possible to ensure Momcilo Jovanovic's rights were respected 
while in detention in Kosovo.  Jovanovic, an IDP Serb, was 
arrested March 12 in Kosovo on suspicion of war crimes while 
participating in a DRC led, UNHCR funded go-and-see visit (GSV.) 
Following the meeting, Young told refcord that Antonijevic 
appreciated their efforts, but reminded them it was under UNHCR 
and DRC protection that Jovanovic was detained in the first 
place.  According to Young, Antonijevic believed the detention 
was part of a larger plan by Kosovo authorities to undermine 
Serb returns.  Young promised Antonijevic UNHCR Kosovo staff 
would continue to visit Jovanovic and would closely follow 
developments in the case.  Antonijevic is scheduled to speak on 
the future of the returns process at UNHCR's April 11 IDP 
working group meeting.  (Jovanovic was released from the 
Pristina Detention Center March 28 and is now under house arrest 
in Brestovic village in Kosovo's Peje/Pec municipality.  USOP is 
closely following this case.) 
 
VLADE DIVAC FOUNDATION OFF TO A GREAT START 
 
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¶4.  (SBU) On March 28 refcord met with Ana Koeshall, new 
Executive Director of the Humanitarian Organization Divac (HOD), 
the foundation set up in late 2007 by retired National 
Basketball Association (NBA) player Vlade Divac and his spouse 
Snezana.  According to Koeshall, the organization is the first 
private entity to focus on the displaced population in Serbia 
and has collected over one million euros for the provision of 
housing for refugees and IDPs still living in collective centers 
across Serbia.  She said the organization was working closely 
with UNHCR, the Serbian Commissariat for Refugees, and the 
Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, which has pledged 500,000 
 
 
euros toward the effort.  Koeshall, told refcord the HOD would 
focus its activities and fundraising efforts toward housing 
solutions this year, but would consider expanding its effort to 
start up and small income generation grants in subsequent years. 
MUNTER 
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