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OO RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHPOD #0251/01 2801617
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O P 061617Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY PODGORICA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0971
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHPOD/AMEMBASSY PODGORICA 1058

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PODGORICA 000251 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR NATO MW
SUBJECT: MONTENEGRO PARLIAMENT OPENS DOOR TO KOSOVO RECOGNITION 
 
REF: (A) PODGORICA 203  (B) STATE 104222 
 
PODGORICA 00000251  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: In its first session since the summer recess, 
the Montenegrin Parliament adopted a controversial resolution 
endorsing Montenegro's policy of Euro-Atlantic integration. In 
the debate beforehand, FM Rocen and PM Djukanovic both suggested 
that integration with Europe implies a responsibility to 
recognize Kosovo.  Serb list leader Andrija Mandic threatened to 
call for public protests against the government if it recognizes 
Kosovo, however overall public reaction has been muted. END 
SUMMARY. 
 
 
 
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Parliament Adopts "Difficult" Decision 
 
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¶2. (U) After seven hours of debate, the parliament passed the 
"Resolution on Montenegro's Acceleration of the Euro-Atlantic 
Integration Process," with 45 votes by the ruling DPS/SDP 
coalition, along with ethnic Albanian and Bosniak parties. 
Twenty-one deputies of the SL, SNP, NS, DSS and Liberal Party 
(LP) voted against. The resolution states that Montenegro is 
"ready to recognize the political reality that EU and NATO 
countries evaluate as significant for regional stability and 
follow the policy which is on the road toward European and 
Euro-Atlantic integration." The resolution is widely believed to 
provide the basis for Montenegro's future policy on Kosovo. 
Local press quoted the Serbian Ambassador to Montenegro, Zoran 
Lutovac, and Serbian party officials as saying that relations 
between Serbia and Montenegro would deteriorate if Montenegro 
recognizes Kosovo. 
 
 
 
Opposition Back in Parliament and Fired Up Over Kosovo 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
 
 
¶3. (SBU) The prospect of debate over the GoM's possible 
recognition of Kosovo brought the majority of opposition parties 
back to parliament for the first day of the fall session on 
October 3.  The opposition had earlier boycotted parliament in 
protest over the decision in June by Public Radio and Television 
of Montenegro (RTCG) to cease live broadcasting of all 
parliamentary sessions (REF A). Though the broadcasting issue 
has not been settled, RTCG did cover today's session, citing the 
national interests at stake in the day's proceedings. All the 
Serb parties attended, with only the Movement for Change (PzP) 
sticking to the boycott. Many speculate that PzP used the 
broadcasting issue as an excuse to avoid the session without 
losing face because of its ambivalence on Kosovo's independence. 
 
 
 
GoM Leadership Out in Force 
 
--------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) The President, Prime Minister and a majority of GoM 
ministers attended the session.  Deputy PM Gordana Djurovic and 
FM Milan Rocen explained the resolution in the broader context 
of Euro-Atlantic integration. Reminding the parliament that most 
EU and NATO countries have recognized Kosovo, Rocen said that 
"responsible conduct by a country that wants to be part of EU 
and NATO leads towards recognition of Kosovo."  The purpose of 
the parliamentary session was to review the Resolution, which 
would be the basis for the GoM's decision on the Kosovo issue. 
 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) Efforts to delay or derail the resolution failed. The 
People's Party (NS) submitted six amendments to the Resolution 
requiring a national referendum on recognizing Kosovo or joining 
NATO.  The leader of the Albanian Alternative party(AA), Vaselj 
Sinistaj, proposed an amendment urging Parliament to recognize 
Kosovo's independence as soon as possible. 
 
 
 
¶6. (U) In his speech to the assembly, Socialist People's Party 
(SNP) president Milic called on PM Djukanovic to name "the 
 
PODGORICA 00000251  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
foreign diplomats who exert pressure on the GoM to recognize 
Kosovo". Another SNP parliamentarian, Vasilije Lalosevic, said 
that he hoped that Kosovo's recognition would not come from 
"Cetinje", referring to Kosovo PM Hasim Thaci's statement last 
week that "more recognitions of Kosovo would follow which would 
surprise Serbia." 
 
 
 
¶7. (U) NS Head of the Foreign Relations Committee, Dragan Soc, 
made numerous impassioned pleas against the recognition of 
Kosovo and stated that "the U.S. Ambassador said that the U.S. 
would not exert pressure on Montenegro to recognize Kosovo. But 
look what they are doing to us today when we are so brutally 
exposed to the will of great powers." Soc also insisted that the 
GoM reveal who in the international community was applying 
pressure on the GoM. 
 
 
 
¶8. (U) Pro-Serbian SL leader Andrija Mandic and Democratic 
Serbian Party (DSS) head Ranko Kadic demanded the ruling 
coalition Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS)/ Socialist 
Democratic Party (SDP) withdraw the Resolution from the agenda. 
Mandic threatened to call for popular protests if the government 
recognizes Kosovo.  Other opposition leaders who spoke after 
Mandic did not support calling protests. 
 
 
 
¶9. (U) Kemal Purisic of the Bosniak Party (BS) and Mehmed Bardhi 
of the ethnic Albanian Democratic Alliance (DSCG) urged 
parliament to adopt the Resolution.  AA president Sinistaj 
stated that "some diplomatic representatives in the countries of 
the former SFRY told me that recognition of Kosovo is fait 
accompli." 
 
 
 
¶10. (U) Speaker of Parliament Ranko Krivokapic denied that 
foreign pressure was exerted on Montenegro to recognize Kosovo, 
saying it had merely received "recommendations" to recognize 
Kosovo. 
 
 
 
¶11. (U) Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic was the final speaker and 
enumerated the reasons why adoption of the resolution was in 
Montenegro's interest.  He added that recognition of Kosovo is a 
natural part of Euro-Atlantic integration, a responsibility 
implied by the resolution.  He denied that the ruling coalition 
is using the resolution to hide its responsibility for any 
decision to recognize Kosovo. 
 
 
 
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Comment 
 
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¶12. (SBU) Local media have portrayed GoM recognition of Kosovo 
as virtually a foregone conclusion. However, the GoM is still 
playing its cards close to the vest, evidently gauging public 
and international reaction at each step.  The initiative now 
rests with the Prime Minster and cabinet, whose next regular 
session is scheduled for October 9.  If that is indeed the 
scenario, the decision could become more complicated if the UNGA 
votes soon to support Serbia's request for an ICG opinion on 
Kosovo's independence. End Comment. 
MOORE