US embassy cable - 04LJUBLJANA61

UNCLAS LJUBLJANA 000061 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR PRM, EUR/NCE, EUR/SCE, IO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, PREF, PGOV, SI, UNHCR 
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA: PRM A/S DEWEY'S LETTER TO UNHCR DONORS 
DELIVERED 
 
 
    REF: SECSTATE 13118 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. 
 
1.  (U) ON 23 JANUARY, ECONOFF DELIVERED PRM A/S DEWEY'S 
LETTER TO DONORS WHO PLEDGED CONTRIBUTIONS TO UNHCR'S 2004 
PROGRAM TO MARJAN SETINC, MFA STATE UNDERSECRETARY FOR 
DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE.  SETINC 
WELCOMED THE A/S'S LETTER AND NOTED THAT THE UNHCR WILL 
REMAIN ONE OF SLOVENIA'S PRIMARY DESTINATIONS OF DEVELOPMENT 
AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE -- UNDP AND UNICEF BEING THE 
OTHER TWO.  ALTHOUGH HE DID NOT PROVIDE ACTUAL PLEDGE 
AMOUNTS, SETINC REPORTED THAT HIS OFFICE WILL LIKELY OPERATE 
WITH A US $800,000 BUDGET FOR 2004 -- A US $300,000 INCREASE 
FROM 2003. 
 
2.  (SBU)  SETINC EXPLAINED THAT THE FORMER YUGOSLAV 
FEDERATION REGION WILL REMAIN THE FOCUS OF SLOVENIA'S 
DEVELOPMENT AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.  HOWEVER, 
HE EXPRESSED CONCERN AND DISAPPOINTMENT OVER THE "REGION'S 
INABILITY TO SETTLE OPEN ISSUES AND TO OVERCOME ROADBLOCKS TO 
A PERMANENT SETTLEMENT."  HE WAS ACUTELY CONCERNED OVER THE 
FUTURE OF KOSOVO FOLLOWING THE RECENT SERBIAN PARLIAMENTARY 
ELECTIONS.  "THE FUTURE OF KOSOVO IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS IN 
SETTLING A NUMBER OF OPEN ISSUES.  THE DISPUTES BETWEEN 
ALBANIANS AND MACEDONIANS WILL NOT BE RESOLVED UNLESS 
PROGRESS IS MADE ON THE ISSUE OF KOSOVO," SETINC COMMENTED. 
 
3.  (SBU)  A COURTESY COPY OF REFTEL LETTER WAS ALSO PROVIDED 
TO LOCAL UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE GREG GARRAS, WHO EXPRESSED 
PROFUSE GRATITUDE FOR WASHINGTON'S INITIATIVE, REMARKING "OUR 
    HEADQUARTERS DOESN'T ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE IMPORTANCE THOSE 
KIND OF POLITICAL GESTURES HAVE, BUT IT MAKES A HUGE 
DIFFERENCE IN OUR FUNDRAISING EFFORTS.  IT'S GREAT THAT THE 
ASSISTANT SECRETARY WAS WILLING TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
EVEN IF GENEVA DOESN'T APPRECIATE IT, THOSE OF US IN THE 
FIELD DO." 
YOUNG 
 
NNNN