VZCZCXRO3407
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK
RUEHYG
DE RUEHBW #0028/01 0081310
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 081309Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0551
INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BELGRADE 000028 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
DEPT FOR PRM/ECA (COHEN) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF PREL PGOV SR
SUBJECT: Balkans Regional Refugee Coordinator Report of Weekly 
Activities: December 14-30, 2009 
 
¶1. (SBU)December 14-30 Report on Weekly Activities 
 
-- Macedonia Government to Take over Refugee Assistance in 2010 
 
-- UNHCR Macedonia's Exit Strategy 
 
-- More Returns to Kosovo from Macedonia Possible 
 
-- Macedonia's New Amended Asylum Law; Operations Show Improvement 
 
-- Kosovo Returns - Home at Last, But Housing Problems Abound 
 
-- Returns and Reintegration in Kosovo Projects - Phase Two and 
Maybe Phase Three 
 
-- Serb Returns to Some Areas of Kosovo Still in Limbo 
 
-- Missing Persons in Kosovo - No Information from GOK 
 
-- Comings and Goings 
 
 
 
¶2. (SBU) Macedonia Government to Take over Refugee Assistance in 
2010:  RefCoord and RefAsst traveled to Macedonia Dec 13-14 to see 
current situation of refugees from Kosovo and monitor PRM 
activities with UNHCR and Danish Refugee Council.  UNHCR statistics 
show approximately 1,650 displaced persons from Kosovo, almost all 
Roma, with a small number of Ashkali and Egyptian.  Although only 
25 have official refugee status --the rest fall into various 
protection categories - everyone refers to them as refugees.  All 
live in private accommodations; roughly 80% reside in Shuto 
Orizari, the only Roma-majority municipality in Macedonia.  UNHCR 
provides the same level of assistance to all -monthly allowances to 
cover living expenses.  This will change in 2010.  Last month the 
Government of Macedonia (GOM) approved a National Action Plan with 
a budget of 1 million Euros for 2010 to go with its Integration 
Strategy for Refugees and Foreigners.  Starting next year the 
Ministry for Labor and Social Policy (MLSP) will assume 
responsibility assistance to refugees and those who have legal 
status (roughly 2/3 of the 1,650 total--450 Roma from Kosovo--were 
refused asylum status by GOM; their cases are under appeal).  UNHCR 
is coordinating the transition and expects that the MLSP should 
take over fully as of March 1, 2010.  UNHCR will continue assisting 
those without legal status. 
 
 
 
¶3.   (SBU) UNHCR Macedonia's Exit Strategy:  In parallel with this 
plan, UNHCR Macedonia has an exit strategy that aims at finding 
durable solutions for the remaining refugee/displaced caseload by 
¶2011.  UNHCR Representative Carlos Maldonado believes integration 
will be the solution for most.  After ten years in Macedonia, many 
have married locals and have had children; their children are in 
local schools.  The biggest challenges are lack of permanent 
housing and means of income.  With funding from UNHCR, MLSP opened 
an Integration Center in Shuto Orizari in October. The center helps 
families develop integration plans to include income generating 
grants, vocational training, and legal aid.   In addition, the 
center provides after school tutoring for children to help combat 
the problem of Roma children dropping out of school once they 
finish primary school.  Refcoord saw the school materials Embassy 
Skopje had purchased last year with its PRM Julia Taft grant at the 
center and chatted with several 6th graders who seemed very 
motivated to stay in school.  Some spoke English at a respectable 
level.  Refcoord and Ref assist also met with several beneficiaries 
who will receive UNHCR income grants in the next few months. 
 
 
 
¶4.   (U) More Returns to Kosovo from Macedonia Possible:  UNHCR 
anticipates an increase in interest to return to Kosovo now that 
both countries have established diplomatic relations.  Maldonado 
expressed concerned that the slow pace of local Kosovo government 
cooperation and housing reconstruction will continue to hamper 
efforts.  303 families applied for return to Kosovo; only 15 will 
have returned by the end of the year.  Refcoord and RefAsst met 
several Roma families who had recently returned from a second 
Danish Refugee Council organized "Go and See" visit to Gnjilane and 
Obilic municipalities.  These families have been waiting for two 
years for new houses.  As they did not own the land where the ruins 
of their former houses lie, they must wait for the municipalities 
to donate land and then new houses will be built through one of the 
Kosovo Government's housing reconstruction program.  Two days after 
 
BELGRADE 00000028  002 OF 003 
 
 
our meeting DRC received word that Gnjilane municipality had 
(finally) identified land for some of the families.  DRC hope their 
houses will be ready by spring. 
 
 
 
¶5.   (U) Macedonia's New Amended Asylum Law; Operations Show 
Improvement:  On Dec. 15, Macedonia amended its Law on Asylum and 
Temporary Protection which reportedly now brings Macedonia in 
alignment with EU standards.  RefCoord and RefAsst met the new 
Ministry of Interior's Section of Asylum Chief who advised that 
their reception center of foreigners/illegal has capacity to 
accommodate 150 persons.  There were 35-36 at the time, but the 
number changes on a daily basis.  The majority are coming from 
Afghanistan, although there has been an increase of asylum seekers 
from India, Pakistan, and Nigeria.  Most come through Greece, stay 
in the center for a short period of time and then disappear, likely 
continuing to Northern Europe.  Maldonado says that with the change 
in Asylum Section heads, UNHCR has had much better cooperation. 
They see more progress in documenting persons of concerns, and 
adjudication of pending asylum cases.  UNHCR is working with MOI on 
training Asylum staff on identification procedures of new asylum 
cases. 
 
 
 
¶6.   (SBU) Kosovo Returns - Home at Last, But Housing Problems 
Abound:  In Stimjle, Kosovo Refcoord and Refasst met up with three 
Roma families that DRC brought from Macedonia, through PRM funding. 
Despite the cold and rainy day, the families seemed happy to be 
back in their home village.  Unfortunately, problems with the new 
houses built by UNDP cast a pall on their moods-they could not open 
the front door to one house, the floor in a bathroom was badly 
laid, and kitchen plumbing leaked.  Although UNHCR and DRC reps, as 
well as the municipalities return officer were present, no one from 
UNDP or its housing contractor was there to address the problems. 
With rain turning to snow, and their belongings arriving imminently 
via truck from the border, one family was locked out of their 
house.  Despite repeated phone calls from DRC, there was no sign of 
UNDP, who is the main implementer of two of the GOK's returnee 
housing projects.  RefCoord mentioned this incident to the Minister 
for Communities and Return Sasa Rasic, who was chagrined but not at 
all surprised.  He promised to bring this to UNDP's attention. 
UNDP in Kosovo has been roundly criticized for many delays and 
substandard work. 
 
 
 
¶7.   (U) Returns and Reintegration in Kosovo Projects - Phase Two 
and Maybe Phase Three:  DRC started the second phase of Returns and 
Reintegration in Kosovo (RRK2) on August 1, funded by EU and 
Ministry of Communities and Return (MRC) funds.   RRK2 covers four 
municipalities: Klina, Obilic, Urosevac and Orahovac.  RRK1 should 
be finished by June 2010 with houses for 160 families in the Pec, 
Kosovo Polje, Istok municipalities by June 2010.   MCR hopes to 
secure funding next year in 14 additional municipalities, for which 
there is also interest for return.  MCR's goal is that eventually 
22 out of 34 municipalities will be covered by return and 
reconstruction programs in 2010/2011.  Minister Rasic mentioned 
that in addition to these projects, MCR has started construction on 
40 more flats in Laplje Selo for both returnees from abroad and 
those displaced within Kosovo.  In addition, the Prime Minister's 
Office of the Community Affairs is also planning to construct two 
buildings in Strpce. 
 
 
 
¶8.   (SBU)Serb Returns to Some Areas of Kosovo Still in Limbo: 
Return of Serbs displaced from Kosovo remains difficult in some 
areas, such as in Djakovica, which saw some of the worst 
inter-ethnic conflicts in the late 1990s.  UNHCR Kosovo reps 
advised that discussions about "Go and See" visits (GSV) for Serbs 
are on-going with the mayor of Djakovica..  One of point of 
contention is the number of participants.  The Serbian Government 
wants to see at least 80 participants; DRC and UNHCR want to keep 
the numbers to 15-20.  UNHCR and DRC are hoping to organize the 
first Serb GSV to Djakovica shortly after the New Year. 
 
 
 
¶9.   (SBU) Missing Persons in Kosovo - No Information from GOK: 
Refcoord recently met with the International Committee of the Red 
Cross (ICRC) reps in Belgrade and Pristina about the status of 
missing person cases in connection with 1998-2000 conflict in 
 
BELGRADE 00000028  003 OF 003 
 
 
Kosovo.  Both stated the same fact: the Serbian Government has been 
much more cooperative than the Kosovo Government in providing 
information that may help close some of the 1,875 unsolved cases of 
people who disappeared during the conflicts.  Of the 50 cases 
closed this year, none could be attributed to any new information 
provided by the GOK.   The two reps had differing opinions on what 
could help improve the information flow.  ICRC plans to publish a 
large glossy book with photos and stories about 15 unsolved cases 
in Kosovo as well as Bosnia and Croatia.  ICRC will launch the book 
next year and organize an exhibit that will travel throughout 
Europe.  Belgrade's rep sees this as an opportunity for the 
international community to put pressure on these governments to 
cooperate.  The rep in Pristina does not believe this public 
awareness campaign will have any effect on the GOK, which maintains 
it has no written records of where people were killed and buried, 
like the Serb police and military had. 
 
 
 
¶10.  (U) Comings and Goings 
 
--   Dec. 31-Jan. 8 Refcoord on leave 
 
--   Jan. 19-21:  Refcoord and Refasst travel to Croatia 
 
--   Jan. 25-29:  Refcoord at PRM workshop in Geneva 
BRUSH