VZCZCXRO3979
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBW #0104/01 0361617
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 051617Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0937
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0049
RHEHNS/NSC WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BELGRADE 000104 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O.12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KV SR
SUBJECT: SERBIA: KOSOVO MINISTRY STATE SECRETARY IVANOVIC TOUR 
D'HORIZON 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  (SBU) In a wide-ranging February 3 meeting, Serbian Ministry for 
Kosovo State Secretary Oliver Ivanovic, a moderate Kosovo Serb, 
expressed conditional support for cooperation with the Kosovo 
Property Agency (KPA), characterized the recently-formed Kosovo 
Security Force (KSF) as "a group of well-trained and -equipped 
terrorists," and repeated Belgrade's insistence that talks with 
UNMIK on implementation of the six points plan must precede 
working-level technical discussions on customs, police, and the 
judiciary.  Ivanovic also elaborated upon his Ministry's draft 
strategy for sustainable stay and return of individuals from Kosovo 
and called for a more active OSCE role in the Kosovo local elections 
scheduled for November 2009.  End Summary. 
 
Access to KPA Files Possible 
---------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) When questioned about the GOS decision to close KPA 
offices throughout Serbia following Kosovo's declaration of 
independence, Ivanovic personally endorsed re-opening the offices 
and creating favorable conditions for Kosovo Serb claimants in 
Serbia to submit applications.  He specifically mentioned that his 
ministry was cooperating with the Danish Refugee Council to provide 
free legal aid to displaced Kosovo Serbs, focusing on property 
issues. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Stressing that Kosovo Minister Goran Bogdanovic was 
committed to removing obstacles from the process, Ivanovic declared 
that, while the GOS could not provide blanket access to all files, 
"there was no problem" for individual claimants or even KPA 
representatives to consult Serbian property records.  Although he 
acknowledged that EULEX was the "only institution that wants to 
engage in this process," Ivanovic insisted that KPA representatives 
would have to act under the UNMIK umbrella when accessing records in 
Serbia. 
 
KSF Not Expected Endstate for Surprised Serbs 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Ivanovic, who pointedly highlighted that he spends every 
Thursday through Saturday in north Mitrovica (where he is from), 
reserved his harshest comments for the recent standing up of the 
KSF, which he labeled a "well-trained and -equipped group of 
terrorists."  Arguing that "Serbs will never join," Ivanovic 
potentially shed some light on the vehemence with which President 
Tadic and Foreign Minister Jeremic greeted the long-planned KSF 
formation. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Ivanovic explained that Kosovo Serbs had not seen the 
Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC) as a bridge between the Kosovo 
Liberation Army (KLA) and the KSF.  Instead, he claimed, the Serbs 
believed that the KPC would be a temporary institution that would 
weed out and sideline KLA veterans before being dissolved.  Since 
this was not the case as many former KLA members were transferred to 
the KSF, Ivanovic, citing "our bitter past experiences," described 
as completely justified concerns that the KSF would be used as an 
instrument against Serbs and for illegal activities. 
 
"Ready and Waiting for Zannier" 
------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The State Secretary offered several observations 
concerning the road forward regarding Kosovo, in particular 
engagement with EULEX.  Declaring that UNMIK Head, SRSG Lamberto 
Zannier, has invitations from both the MFA and the Kosovo Ministry 
to visit Belgrade, Ivanovic deflected suggestions that expert-level 
talks were both necessary and possible now on issues such as 
customs, police, and the judiciary.  Instead, he reiterated that 
immediate talks with UNMIK (which, he said, EULEX Head Yves de 
Kermabon could attend) on implementation of the six points approved 
by the UN Security Council were a necessary precondition for 
technical discussions. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Ivanovic also touched upon his ministry's draft strategy 
for "sustainable stay and return."  He told us that the strategy, a 
final version of which would be ready in two weeks, would focus upon 
individual returns and employment.  He informed us that the GOS 
planned to provide Kosovo Serbs with start-up small business loans 
of 20,000-25,000 Euros under very favorable conditions, and asked 
whether the USG would be in a position to provide matching funds. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Regarding the Kosovo local elections planned for November 
2009, Ivanovic urged us not to force the GOS' hand on 
decentralization in Kosovo, stating that the only possible outcome 
of an early push for a clear GOS statement would be an negative 
 
BELGRADE 00000104  002 OF 002 
 
 
assessment.  He suggested that only a more active OSCE, or perhaps 
UNMIK, role in the elections could potentially assuage some 
concerns. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Oliver Ivanovic is a moderate and pragmatic politician 
whose insights into the current state of affairs reflect his strong 
roots in Kosovo.  As such, he enjoys a deserved reputation as a 
reliable interlocutor with the international community.  However, as 
part of a government in which the Democratic Party sets the agenda 
on all issues, including Kosovo policy, the non-partisan Ivanovic is 
at a decided disadvantage vis-a-vis his boss Minister Bogdanovic and 
Foreign Minister Jeremic.  We will continue to engage with Ivanovic 
in hopes that we can achieve progress on issues such as cooperation 
with the KPA in which the Kosovo Serbs stand to benefit, while 
pushing back on the Serbian government's unconstructive approach to 
KSF, EULEX, and elections.  End Comment. 
 
 
MUNTER