VZCZCXRO4893
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK
RUEHYG
DE RUEHPS #0397/01 2571200
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 141200Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY PRISTINA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9275
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1206
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1727
RHFMIUU/AFSOUTH NAPLES IT
RHMFISS/CDR TF FALCON
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEPGEA/CDR650THMIGP SHAPE BE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHDC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUZEJAA/USNIC PRISTINA SR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRISTINA 000397 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE, EUR/PGI, INL, DRL, PRM, USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER KV
SUBJECT: KOSOVO:  AMBASSADOR MEETS OPPOSITION LEADER PACOLLI 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: The Ambassador met with Alliance for a New Kosovo 
(AKR) leader Behgjet Pacolli and Pacolli's senior advisor, Essad 
Puskar, on September 11 for an introductory meeting to discuss 
several domestic and foreign issues including AKR's role in Kosovo's 
opposition, the importance of tempering extremist Islamic influence, 
upcoming municipal elections, and Pacolli's role in working for 
additional recognitions of Kosovo's independence.  During the 
friendly and cordial exchange, the Ambassador told Pacolli that we 
will work with both the GOK and the opposition to support continuing 
growth of Kosovo's political culture.  End Summary 
 
VIBRANT OPPOSITION A KEY TO KOSOVO'S POLITICAL GROWTH 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The Ambassador, in an introductory meeting with opposition 
Alliance for a New Kosovo (AKR) party leader Behgjet Pacolli on 
September 11, said that Kosovo's political opposition plays a key 
role in ensuring the positive growth of Kosovo's political system. 
He also warned that partisan political interests should not divert 
attention from ensuring progress in building Kosovo's institutions 
and addressing Kosovo's vast domestic economic problems.  Pacolli 
agreed with this.  The Ambassador recalled Pacolli's personal 
business success and the potential for AKR to play a leading role in 
focusing political discourse on employment, energy, health, and 
education initiatives.  Pacolli recognized the potential for his 
party's contribution in these regards, mentioning specifically his 
interest in higher education, including his work with the American 
University of Kosovo.  Pacolli noted that his party's principles are 
most similar to those embodied by junior ruling-coalition partner 
Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), although he noted that his 
party's emphasis on economic improvements filled a niche that LDK 
does not currently address. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Moving to upcoming elections, the Ambassador stressed--and 
Pacolli agreed with--the importance of free, fair, and transparent 
elections.  The Ambassador told Pacolli that parties' recent focus 
on installing cameras at polling stations distracted attention from 
more reliable tools for ensuring accurate voting.   (Note:  AKR, 
earlier this summer, submitted a formal written request for 
closed-circuit video surveillance at polling centers during upcoming 
municipal elections in November. End Note)  The real way to protect 
the process is not to tear down the Central Elections Commission 
(CEC) but rather for AKR to join with others in supporting publicly 
the legitimacy and authority of the CEC and its efforts to carry out 
technical measures critical to successful elections.  Pacolli 
thanked the Ambassador for his insights and joked that although he 
knows how to construct a building, he does not know how to build a 
party, and requested the Embassy's support and advice toward this 
goal. 
 
ADDRESSING PACOLLI'S ROLE AND INFLUENCE ABROAD 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Pacolli expressed his appreciation for the Ambassador's 
acknowledgement of Pacolli's initiatives to lobby abroad for 
additional recognitions of Kosovo independence, an issue that 
Pacolli's advisor Essad Puskar tabled during the course of the 
conversation.  The Ambassador cautioned Pacolli, however, with 
concern regarding Pacolli's engagement with certain leaders such as 
Libyan Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi, with whom Pacolli met in early 
September.  Although Pacolli admitted that al-Gaddafi did not 
promise Libya's recognition of Kosovo's independence, Pacolli told 
the Ambassador that al-Gaddafi assured him of Libya's intention to 
welcome Kosovars to travel and work in Libya.  Pacolli mentioned 
that he often employs Kosovo Albanians in his business endeavors 
abroad and saw al-Gaddafi's openness as a good opportunity to help 
Kosovo's poor economic conditions by creating jobs for Kosovo 
Albanians abroad that would support the local economy through 
remittances.  (Note:  Pacolli is the CEO of Mabetex Group, an 
internationally-known construction firm.  End Note) 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The Ambassador raised the larger issue of Islamic 
 
PRISTINA 00000397  002 OF 002 
 
 
extremism entering Kosovo and cautioned Pacolli about the potential 
for Albanians working within the borders of regimes like Libya and 
then returning home with more extremist ideology.  The Ambassador 
told Pacolli that we do not want to see growing extremist influence 
over Kosovo's moderate pro-Western population.  He said that 
prominent leaders like Pacolli play an important role in ensuring 
that Kosovo continues its moderate, secular tradition.  (Note: 
Unsubstantiated rumors hold that Pacolli funds the construction of 
Wahabi-style mosques in Kosovo.  End Note) 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Comment:  The friendly introduction provided the 
Ambassador with an opportunity to deliver several messages to 
Pacolli regarding the USG position on a number of domestic and 
international issues facing Kosovo, leveraging in particular 
Pacolli's influence as a prominent businessperson and leader of a 
party that enjoyed notable success in Kosovo's last elections cycle. 
 We will continue to engage Pacolli and AKR, to encourage AKR to 
play a constructive role in Kosovo politics and to emphasize the 
importance for AKR to coordinate its efforts in lobbying for 
recognitions with the GOK.  End Comment 
 
DELL