VZCZCXRO0065
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK
RUEHYG
DE RUEHBW #0697/01 1981143
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 171145Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0080
INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BELGRADE 000697 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE (P. PETERSON) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KS SR
SUBJECT: SERBIA WELCOMES DECISION ON VISA LIBERALIZATION 
 
REF: BELGRADE 306; BELGRADE 587 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  (SBU) The Serbian government enthusiastically welcomed the 
European Commission's July 15 announcement that it would recommend 
visa liberalization for Serbia, as well as for Montenegro and 
Macedonia.  President Tadic described the abolition of visas as the 
removal of the "last sanctions" on Serbia, while Minister of Interior 
Dacic and DPM Djelic hastened to reject opposition charges that the 
EC's exclusion of Kosovo residents represented the tacit recognition 
of Kosovo's independence.  Serbia now has until October 1 to meet the 
remaining requirements of its visa liberalization "roadmap," 
including how to handle the question of passport issuance to Kosovo 
residents and cross-border cooperation with EULEX.  End Summary. 
 
Commission Recommends Liberalization 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶2.  (U) On July 15 in Brussels, Vice President of the European 
Commission for Justice, Freedom and Security Jacques Barrot and 
Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn announced that the Commission 
would forward an official proposal to the Council of the European 
Union recommending visa liberalization for Serbia, Montenegro, and 
Macedonia.  The EC's press release states that "residents of Kosovo 
(under UNSCR 1244/99) will not yet benefit from visa liberalization 
... The technical requirements for visa liberalization have not yet 
been met on the territory of Kosovo. The Commission in this regard 
will continue to work closely with both the Serbian and Kosovo 
authorities and explore options for addressing the visa issue in the 
future."  While not a final decision, the EC's recommendation to move 
forward represented a major milestone in the visa dialogue that began 
in January 2008 (Ref A). 
 
Government Enthusiastically Welcomes Decision 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (U) President Boris Tadic immediately welcomed the news, telling 
FoNet on July 15 that the decision was "a great thing" for the people 
of Serbia and the region, and represented the fulfillment of a 
promise made to the citizens of Serbia.  He also referred to visas as 
"the last sanctions on Serbia." 
 
¶4.  (U) Following a July 15 meeting in Brussels with Barrot, First 
DPM and Interior Minister Ivica Dacic told the press that it was now 
up to Serbia to show its readiness to continue the reforms, fight 
organized crime and corruption, and monitor the state borders and the 
administrative line with Kosovo, which required cooperation with 
EULEX and UNMIK.  Dacic commented that the European Commission had 
finally corrected the injustice that was done to the peoples of the 
former Yugoslavia, and Serbia in particular.  He added that it was 
"very important that the European Commission clearly states in its 
proposal that by excluding the citizens of Kosovo-Metohija from visa 
liberalization it is not prejudging the province's status, but that 
this is a purely technical issue, that is, it is implying that 
security issues have not been solved."  He announced that the Serbian 
authorities would soon sign a protocol with EULEX on operational 
cooperation along the 'administrative border' with Kosovo, which he 
said was agreed during European Union high representative Javier 
Solana's July 13 visit to Belgrade.  The head of the Ministry of 
Interior's International Cooperation Office told Danas on July 16 
that Serbia would strengthen controls along the 'administrative 
border' with Kosovo, and exchange information with EULEX and with the 
"Kosovo police." 
 
¶5.  (SBU) In a brief conversation with Pol FSN, head of the 
government's European Integration Office Milica Delevic took a 
cautious approach.  She said that much works remained to be done on 
the MOU with EULEX, and the travel of Serbian citizens previously 
repatriated from EU countries would also be difficult to address. 
EULEX sources in Belgrade also confirm that MOU negotiations have hit 
an impasse, but hope for new momentum following the recent EC 
decision. 
 
¶6.  (U) In a July 16 appearance on RTS, Deputy Prime Minister for EU 
Integration Bozidar Djelic said that the government would adopt a 
national strategy for migration management and an action plan for 
suppressing organized crime and drug trafficking by October 1.  He 
also said that the GOS needed to conclude an operational agreement 
with EULEX and consistently implement the Law on Foreigners adopted 
in April.  Echoing Dacic, Djelic rejected accusations that the 
European Commission's decision indirectly implied the recognition of 
 
BELGRADE 00000697  002 OF 002 
 
 
Kosovo's independence because under UNSCR 1244 Kosovo is under the 
administration of the international community. 
 
Next Steps and Remaining Issues 
------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) On July 15, The Commission's Directorate General for 
Justice, Freedom and Security sent a letter formally notifying the 
Serbian government of the decision and outlining next steps, 
including the improvement of cross-border cooperation with EULEX on 
police and customs issues and the need to create secure procedures 
regarding Serbia's issuing of biometric passports for persons 
residing Kosovo.  The letter asks that Serbia's Interior Ministry 
present a progress report to the Commission by September 25, 2009. 
 
¶8.  (U) Local media have covered the issue extensively,  reporting 
that Serbia must demonstrate effective implementation of adopted 
laws, strategies, and action plans; implement decisions on the 
issuance of travel documents to citizens of Kosovo and Metohija; 
continue good border monitoring, a comprehensive migration policy, 
the fight against organized crime, corruption, and trafficking in 
persons, and respect for fundamental rights; complete an agreement on 
operational cooperation with EULEX; and continue to modernize the 
Customs service. According to press reports, by the end of October, 
the European Parliament will give its opinion; at the end of October, 
if all roadmap conditions have been met, the EU Council of Ministers 
will take the final decision on visa liberalization; and on January 
1, 2010, the decision will enter into force. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) The issuance of biometric passports to residents of Kosovo 
has been the most difficult issue to resolve thus far (Ref B). 
Officials from the Ministry of Interior and the European Integration 
Office told the press on July 16 that the Serbian government would 
institute centralized passport issuance in Belgrade for all residents 
of Kosovo.  Those passports would bear the notation "Issued by MOI - 
Coordination Office" and would not be valid for visa-free travel. 
 
Opposition Harshly Critical 
--------------------------- 
 
¶10.  (U) The opposition has seized on the EC's decision to exclude 
residents of Kosovo.  Serbian Progressive Party leader Tomislav 
Nikolic described the EU announcement as a "relief," but added that 
"complete discrimination" against the citizens of Kosovo was 
unacceptable.  Democratic Party of Serbia president Vojislav 
Kostunica charged that the Serbian authorities had turned their back 
on Kosovo Serbs and that "the people and citizens of Serbia must know 
the real truth that the current authorities have consented to 
creating a border line... This means that Serbian and Kosovo police 
will work together on the effective separation of the Serb people and 
on putting the Kosovo Serbs into a kind of ghetto."  Serbian Radical 
Party leader Dragan Todorovic said the government should not accept 
visa liberalization under the EU's terms because "accepting 'white 
Schengen' without the citizens of KiM de facto means recognition of 
the independence of KiM." 
 
¶11.  (U) Visa liberalization was the main news during the French 
Embassy's July 14 Bastille Day reception, a day before the official 
announcement.  Media representatives, themselves, were surprised by 
the lack of public response both to Kostunica's interview and to 
earlier articles in conservation daily "Politika's" pointing out that 
liberalization would not apply to Kosovo Serbs.  These 
representatives thought the lack of public reaction should serve as a 
signal to the Tadic government to be bolder in pursuing EU 
integration as well as less fearful of pro-Kosovo backlash. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶11.  (SBU) The opposition's criticism of the government for accepting 
the exclusion of Kosovo Serbs from EU visa liberalization does not 
appear to be resonating with the Serbian public, despite the obvious 
political and legal implications of the step.  The Serbian public 
appears to be so desperate for visa-free travel to Europe that they 
will gladly accept UNSCR 1244 as the rationale.  The government is 
now under pressure to address the specifics of passport issuance and 
management of the Kosovo border quickly and in a way that does not 
open it up to yet more damaging attacks from the opposition.  Rather 
than capitalizing on the public support for the liberalization - even 
as it chips away at Serbian sovereignty over Kosovo - President Tadic 
instead attended the Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt, Non-Aligned Nations 
Summit and assured the attendees Serbia supported non-aligned goals 
"in spite of our aspirations to join the EU."  End Comment. 
BRUSH