VZCZCXRO2933
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBW #0302/01 0560957
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 250956Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0919
INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RHMCSUU/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BELGRADE 000302 
 
CODEL 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON SR
SUBJECT: SERBIA: CONGRESSMAN POMEROY PROMOTES SERBIA'S EU PATH AND 
GROWING BILATERAL COOPERATION 
 
Summary 
 
------- 
 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) During his Feb 18-21 visit to Serbia, Representative 
Pomeroy expressed strong support for Serbia's EU integration and 
encouraged leaders to find a modus vivendi on Kosovo.  In separate 
meetings, Prime Minister Cvetkovic, Deputy Prime Minister Djelic 
and Foreign Minister Jeremic, conveyed consistent messages in 
support of Serbia's EU aspirations but insisted Serbia would not 
give up on its diplomatic fight for Kosovo.  Serbian officials also 
underscored their interest in deepening cooperation with the United 
States, including in the areas of law enforcement and scientific 
cooperation.  National Assembly Speaker Djukic-Dejanovic encouraged 
greater interaction between the U.S. Congress and Serbia's National 
Assembly.  During Congressman Pomeroy's return journey to the 
central Serbian city of Kraljevo, where he was an exchange student 
in 1973, media covered the long historic ties of friendship between 
the United States and Serbia.  Pomeroy's visit highlighted 
opportunities for deepening bilateral relations beyond traditional 
government to government discussions.  End Summary. 
 
 
 
Prime Minister Cvetkovic:  EU is Serbia's Goal 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Prime Minister Cvetkovic told Representative Pomeroy that 
EU integration is the key pillar of the government coalition and 
emphasized that Serbia's recent EU candidacy application 
demonstrated that Serbia's future is in the EU.  Cvetkovic said 
that it would be difficult for Serbia to receive EU candidacy 
status in 2010, quoting a Serbian saying: "if you want something 
Friday, make a plan for Wednesday".  Cvetkovic said Serbia was 
fully committed to complying with the Hague Tribunal and said that 
should not be an impediment to Serbia's EU aspirations. 
 
 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Cvetkovic identified three additional pillars of the 
governing coalition's policies:  (1) openness to regional 
cooperation, (2) economic recovery, and (3) anti-corruption 
measures.  Cvetkovic said that 2009 was a difficult year for Serbia 
economically, and expressed optimism the country would see modest 
growth in 2010.  Cvetkovic highlighted unemployment as the most 
significant economic challenge, followed by the need to decrease 
public spending, notwithstanding public pressure to lift freezes on 
public salaries and pensions.   Cvetkovic said Kosovo remained an 
additional priority for the government, but insisted that Serbia 
would only use diplomacy and peaceful means to fight for Kosovo. 
 
 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Pomeroy congratulated Cvetkovic on Serbia's progress 
towards EU integration including the achievement of visa 
liberalization, the acceptance on the interim agreement on trade, 
and the submitting of Serbia's candidacy to the European Union. 
Pomeroy asked about WTO accession efforts, particularly in the 
agricultural arena.  Cvetkovic said he was hopeful the WTO process 
would be successfully completed in the near future and called 
Serbia's non-WTO compliant GMO law "a technical issue that will be 
resolved shortly". 
 
 
 
Deputy Prime Minister Djelic: Greater Cooperation 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Deputy Prime Minister Djelic told Pomeroy that after 
Vice-President Biden's visit to Serbia in May 2009, relations 
between the United States and Serbia had moved forward, but Djelic 
said relations could be deeper.  Djelic said that Serbia was 
proving that it was a responsible and reliable partner, firmly on 
the path to EU integration.  Djelic cited the GoS's recent efforts 
to improve regional cooperation and partnership such as: proposing 
 
BELGRADE 00000302  002 OF 003 
 
 
a parliamentary resolution on Srebrenica, supporting the 
territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and supporting the 
fight against organized crime, including coordinated efforts with 
the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. 
 
 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Djelic said that the status of Kosovo was a key issue on 
which the United States and Serbia disagreed, but said Serbia 
wanted to work with the United States on this issue.  Djelic 
described Kosovo as "Serbia's Jerusalem" and said as a domestic 
political issue it would be impossible to compromise Serbia's 
position on Kosovo.  Djelic acknowledged that Serbia could not, and 
did not want, to administer Kosovo directly, but also that Kosovo 
Serbs did not want to be administered from Pristina.  Pomeroy 
reiterated the United State's support for Kosovo's independence and 
territorial integrity.  Djelic said that international pressure on 
President Boris Tadic on the issue of Kosovo was unhelpful, as 
Serbian government leaders had to find a solution which would be 
politically palatable to the Serbian public. 
 
 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Djelic welcomed the progress which had been made towards 
completing a bilateral agreement on science and technology 
cooperation,  said he planned to visit the United States in April, 
and hoped to visit research centers and sign the finalized 
agreement in Washington. 
 
 
 
Foreign Minister Jeremic:  EU and Kosovo 
 
---------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  Describing the situation in Serbia as "infinitely 
better" than just a few years ago, Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic 
told Pomeroy that the two national elections in 2008 were referenda 
that "calmed down our demons" and set Serbia on the path toward 
European integration.  EU integration was Serbia's "central 
strategic priority," Jeremic said, adding that he was concerned 
that political and economic developments in the EU may slow the 
process of EU enlargement.  Noting that the December 2009 Brammertz 
report showed Serbia in compliance with its obligations toward The 
Hague Tribunal, Jeremic voiced confidence that Serbia's efforts 
would lead to the capture of Hague-indictees Ratko Mladic and Goran 
Hadzic. 
 
 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  Responding to the Congressman's assertion that Kosovo 
status had been decided and that Serbia should focus on its EU 
accession, Jeremic asserted that Serbia could enter the EU without 
resolving Kosovo's status.  Jeremic noted that both Cyprus and 
Ireland had joined the EU despite unresolved territorial disputes 
and said Serbia could not accept Kosovo's unilateral declaration of 
independence because doing so would "open a precedent that would 
destabilize Serbia's other provinces."  Jeremic urged Pomeroy to 
"recognize the realities" of international law and said that not 
all inhabitants of Kosovo wished to live under Pristina, echoing 
similar coordinated comments by the PM and Deputy PM.  Jeremic 
emphasized that Serbia's Kosovo policy would be "patient and 
peaceful."  Jeremic said that while Serbia and the United States 
disagreed about the trajectory for Serbia, both nations agreed on 
the end goals of prosperity, stability, and European integration. 
 
 
 
Assembly Speaker Djukic-Dejanovic: Deepening Cooperation 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Speaker of the Serbian National Assembly Slavica 
Djukic-Dejanovic said the coalition parties were united by a 
commitment to join the EU, improve the lives of citizens, and fight 
organized crime.  Djukic-Dejanovic said that Vice President Biden's 
visit had opened a new chapter in U.S.-Serbian relations.  She said 
she was grateful for current USAID assistance and welcomed 
increased cooperation with the U.S. Congress to assist the National 
 
BELGRADE 00000302  003 OF 003 
 
 
Assembly as it made reforms.  She cited recent parliamentary 
efforts establishing the Assembly's financial independence from the 
government, and developing several independent bodies working on 
anti-corruption, citizens' rights, and transparency. 
Djukic-Dejanovic said parliamentary exchanges such as a recent 
International Visitors Program were useful.  She invited Speaker of 
the House Nancy Pelosi to visit Serbia and said she would follow up 
with a formal invitation.  In a follow up dinner with several MPs 
from the American Friendship Caucus, all expressed to Pomeroy a 
greater interest in fostering stronger relations between the 
National Assembly and Congress. 
 
 
 
Pomeroy's Return to Kraljevo 
 
---------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶11.  (U) On February 20, Congressman Pomeroy traveled to the 
central Serbian city of Kraljevo, where he and Deputy Chief of 
Mission Brush had been exchange students in 1973.  Together with 
the mayor, they toured the city and discussed the current local 
economic climate and potential opportunities for further 
cooperation. 
 
 
 
¶12.  (U) Pomeroy then participated in a casual reunion with the 
Kraljevo host families who had sponsored American students in 1973. 
In his remarks, which were extensively covered by the national 
media, Pomeroy stated continued support for bilateral exchanges 
which fostered greater people to people understanding. 
 
 
 
Comment 
 
------- 
 
 
 
¶13.  (SBU) Representative Pomeroy's visit to Serbia helped to 
reinforce our message that the United States firmly supported 
Serbia's EU aspirations, while also encouraging Serbia to find a 
pragmatic manner to move beyond the issue of Kosovo.  The open, 
positive reception he received from the Government, the Assembly 
and Serbian citizens showed a growing interest in further engaging 
with the United States in both governmental and cultural fora. 
Pomeroy's personal connection to Serbia demonstrated the 
significant impact of such exchanges, even decades after the first 
encounter.  End Comment. 
 
 
 
¶14.  (U) This cable was cleared by Representative Pomeroy. 
WARLICK