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PP RUEHBW RUEHIK RUEHPOD RUEHTRO RUEHYG
DE RUCNDT #0371/01 1141850
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 231850Z APR 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4159
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE PRIORITY 0014
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 1184
RUEHPS/AMEMBASSY PRISTINA PRIORITY 1206
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 1555

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 000371 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL UNMIK UNSC YI
SUBJECT: UNSC HOLDS FIRST POST-INDEPENDENCE KOSOVO MEETING 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000371  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Special Representative of the 
Secretary-General (SRSG) Joachim Rucker told Ambassador 
 
SIPDIS 
Khalilzad on April 21 he hopes for deployment of EULEX and 
the International Civilian Office (ICO) by June.  Rucker 
later told the full Security Council that UNMIK will continue 
to operate under its mandate in a practical way after 
Kosovo's new constitution comes into effect on June 15, 
although Kosovo Albanians consider that the transition period 
beginning with its declaration of independence (DI) will end 
on that date.  Regarding Serbian elections on May 11, Rucker 
explained that UNMIK will continue its past hands-off 
approach, but that municipal elections represent a serious 
departure from past practice.  He stressed that UNMIK has 
three redlines: no violence; no parallel security structures; 
and respect for UNMIK. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Serbian President Tadic protested to Council members 
that Serbia had requested an annulment of Kosovo's illegal 
DI, however the SYG's report only mentions "a new reality." 
He said Serbia does not oppose an EU presence in Kosovo, but 
EULEX should only enter under a Security Council mandate.  He 
said Serbia is ready to sign a Stabilization and Association 
Agreement (SAA) with the EU as soon as one is offered and 
that this should be treated separately from the Kosovo 
problem.  Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, who also 
participated in the Council session, promised Kosovo will 
work hard to advance the interests of minorities in Kosovo 
with "the Ahtisaari plan as the blueprint."  He said the UN 
will continue to have a role in Kosovo, stating that Kosovo 
looks forward to working with the UN as it adapts to new 
circumstances.  Russian Permrep Churkin said Rucker's 
briefing was "not objective" and accused UNMIK of 
facilitating violence against minorities in Kosovo and called 
for the SYG to brief the Security Council soon on the 
independent investigation of the March 17 incident. 
Ambassador Khalilzad praised the work of the UN and SRSG 
Rucker and Kosovo's efforts at implementing the Ahtisaari 
Plan.  He stated that the U.S. stands ready to help Serbia 
find a future in the Euro-Atlantic family of nations. 
Khalilzad stressed that UNMIK must also continue to respond 
robustly to provocations.  In a meeting the next day with 
Ambassador Khalilzad, Thaci promised to push minority rights 
and ensure that minority members of his government have a 
real say.  Ambassador Khalilzad stressed to Thaci the 
importance of Kosovo helping to increase the number of 
recognitions by getting its story out.  End Summary. 
 
Ambassador Khalilzad's Meeting With Rucker 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) In a meeting with Ambassador Khalilzad on April 21, 
Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) 
Joachim Rucker said the UN cannot be seen as "not talking 
with Belgrade," but should focus only on interim issues, not 
status.  Rucker argued that the most important goal is to 
achieve EULEX and hopefully International Civilian Office 
(ICO) deployment by June, under a UN umbrella if necessary. 
Rucker said even renaming EULEX would be acceptable as long 
as it can fully deploy.  Ambassador Khalilzad asked Rucker 
about efforts to harden the border and he said that UNMIK has 
been doing what it can with limited resources, and had still 
responded to every Serb provocation in Kosovo since February 
¶17.  Khalilzad stressed the need to have a detailed roadmap 
for the "fade-in/fade-out" process by which EULEX and ICO 
will replace UNMIK.  Rucker responded that UNMIK has 
completed detailed plans, but nothing has been approved yet 
by UN headquarters. 
 
Rucker's Briefing To UNSC 
------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Later in the day on April 21, Rucker briefed 
Security Council members on the Secretary General's latest 
report on the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo 
(UNMIK).  Rucker stated that Kosovo's February 17 declaration 
of independence (DI) had been welcomed by all communities in 
Kosovo except the Kosovo Serb community.  He noted that 
Kosovo had already been recognized by over three-dozen 
countries, including some Security Council members.  Rucker 
said that after Kosovo's constitution comes into effect on 
June 15, UNMIK will continue to operate under its mandate in 
a practical way, but it is clear that Kosovo officials 
consider that a transition period that began with the DI will 
end on June 15.  Rucker underscored that the Serbian 
government has made impossible use of UNMIK's freedom of 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000371  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
movement train and that Kosovo Serb boycotts of Kosovo 
institutions now include those under UNMIK's mandate such as 
the KPS, customs, railways, the judicial system, municipal 
administration and the Kosovo Corrections Service.  He 
briefly reviewed the March 17 violence in which an UNMIK 
police officer was killed and many wounded, noting that the 
SYG had decided to conduct an independent investigation. 
Regarding Serbian elections on May 11, Rucker explained that 
UNMIK will continue its past hands-off approach, but that 
municipal elections represent a serious departure from past 
practice and could effect relations between Albanians and 
Serbs in Kosovo. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Rucker told the Council that dialogue is always 
desirable and UNMIK is prepared to build bridges between 
communities in Kosovo wherever possible.  He noted, however, 
that Kosovo Serbs had boycotted recent Kosovo elections and 
that he was open to ideas on how to achieve true Kosovo Serb 
representation.  However, he stressed UNMIK has three 
redlines: no violence, no parallel security structures and 
respect for UNMIK.  Rucker said UNMIK will continue to 
fulfill its mandate under 1244, even though "circumstances 
have changed" and that mandate does not mean the same thing 
that it did in 1999.  He said UNMIK has fulfilled its mandate 
in every area, mostly with substantial success. 
 
Tadic's Intervention Before UNSC 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Serbian President Tadic protested that Serbia had 
requested an annulment of Kosovo's illegal DI, while the 
SYG's report only mentions "a new reality."  Tadic also 
complained about references by some in the international 
community to implementation of the Ahtisaari plan which he 
rejected as "not accepted in the Security Council."  Tadic 
argued that Chapter 7 of the UN charter and UNSCR 1244 are 
binding for member states and called the recognition of 
Kosovo's independence by many member states "a blow to the 
UN."  Tadic called on countries who have recognized Kosovo to 
rescind those decisions, saying Serbia will never recognize 
Kosovo.  Tadic raised the March 17 incident and said all 
should refrain from violence.  He said Serbia does not oppose 
an EU presence in Kosovo, but EULEX should only enter under a 
Security Council mandate.  Tadic also insisted that the ICTY 
acquittal of Ramush Haradinaj had been unjust and the case 
should be retried.  He said Serbia is ready to sign a 
Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU as 
soon as one is offered and that this should be treated 
separately from the Kosovo problem.  He insisted that "Serbia 
will never recognize an independent Kosovo" and so all 
involved have to find another way forward. 
Kosovo PM Thaci In UNSC 
----------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci expressed 
confidence before the Council regarding the significant 
number of recognitions up to now, but said Kosovo faces a 
challenge in addressing the concerns of its Serbian 
communities.  He promised Kosovo will work hard to advance 
the interests of minorities in Kosovo with "the Ahtisaari 
plan as the blueprint."  Thaci noted Kosovo has established a 
special office for outreach to minorities.  He said the UN 
will continue to have a role post-independence in Kosovo, 
stating that Kosovo looks forward to working with the UN as 
it adapts to new circumstances. 
 
Russia's Statement In UNSC 
-------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Russian Permrep Churkin protested Kosovo's 
independence as illegal.  He said EULEX deployment without 
Security Council approval is illegal as is the International 
Steering Group, adding that talk of transferring UNMIK's 
responsibility or launching the ICO is also unacceptable. 
Churkin claimed UNMIK has not yet fulfilled its mandate, 
especially on standards implementation.  He further accused 
UNMIK of facilitating violence against minorities in Kosovo 
and said Russia hopes the SYG will brief the Security Council 
soon on the independent investigation of the March 17 
incident.  Churkin said Russia expects to see a "constructive 
UN position on elections" in Serb-majority areas of Kosovo. 
Churkin protested that overall Rucker was "not objective" in 
his presentation. 
 
U.S. Statement In UNSC 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000371  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
---------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Ambassador Khalilzad praised the work of the UN and 
SRSG Rucker and Kosovo's efforts at implementing the 
Ahtisaari Plan.  He stated that the U.S. stands ready to help 
Serbia find a future in the Euro-Atlantic family of nations. 
He noted that the coming into force of Kosovo's constitution 
on June 15 will be a milestone, after which the UN role in 
Kosovo will need to adapt to other international presences as 
they begin to assume responsibilities.  Khalilzad stressed 
that UNMIK must also continue to respond robustly to 
provocations.  He expressed concern vis-a-vis recent 
provocative Serb actions in Kosovo such as the decision to 
hold municipal elections in Kosovo on May 11. 
 
Statements By Other Security Council Members 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) French Permrep Ripert said that in order to achieve 
priority objectives the UN must adapt to changing realities 
on the ground. He protested that some in the Serbian 
government have seemingly justified violence.  Croatian 
Permrep Jurica said the EU should take over in assisting 
Kosovo's institutions as soon as possible.  Chinese Deputy 
Permrep Liu said Kosovo is unique and not a precedent, but 
will inevitably affect other parts of the world.  Liu said 
for now UNMIK should continue to push standards 
implementation and there should be no talk about it 
withdrawing.  Vietnam noted that in the Council meeting on 
February 17 it had supported the territorial integrity of 
states and rejected Kosovo's DI as not in line with 1244. 
UNMIK should continue to push a negotiated solution. 
 
¶11. (SBU) Indonesian Permrep Natalegawa stated that standards 
must continue to be implemented and synergy between the UN 
and EU will be key.  He said fine-tuning in response to 
events on the ground is necessary for any mission and will be 
necessary for UNMIK in line with 1244. Burkina Faso Permrep 
Kafando welcomed the progress on standards implementation in 
Kosovo even though problems remain.  He regretted the lack of 
Serbian participation in Kosovo's institutions and called on 
the international community to offer its support to Kosovo. 
Libyan Permrep Ettalhi praised the calm in Kosovo that 
"exists even in the face of provocations."  He said UNSCR 
1244 should continue to be the foundation for UNMIK's 
mandate. 
 
¶12. (SBU) UK Ambassador Sawers stated that while some reject 
the Ahtissari plan, it is critical and being implemented by 
the Kosovars.  Costa Rica expressed sympathy for the 
"difficult position of Rucker given that many but not all UN 
members have recognized Kosovo."  Italy stated that dialogue 
is the only effective way to prevent violent incidents and 
expressed support for dialogue between the UN and Belgrade. 
Belgian Permrep Verbeke called on the UN to do everything 
possible to facilitate the launch of the EU mission. 
 
Ambassador Khalilzad's Meeting With PM Thaci 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶13. (SBU) In a meeting the next day with Ambassador 
Khalilzad, Thaci promised that he would continue to push 
minority rights and ensure that minority members of his 
government have a real say.  Ambassador Khalilzad stressed 
the importance of Kosovo helping to increase the number of 
recognitions by getting its story out.  Thaci promised Kosovo 
would try to do this.  FM-designate Skender Heyseni said that 
Kosovo plans to open an office in New York very soon. 
 
Khalilzad