US embassy cable - 05ROME746

C O N F I D E N T I A L  ROME 000746 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE, EUR/WE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2015 
TAGS: PREL, SR, IT, KI, EUN 
SUBJECT: MFA ON FINI'S BALKANS VISIT; DAS STEPHENS ROME 
VISIT 
 
Classified By: POL MINISTER COUNSELOR TOM COUNTRYMAN.  REASON: 1.4 (B)( 
D) 
 
1. (C) Summary:  The MFA told us that FM Fini's February 
23-25 Balkans visit had been"constructive," and that Fini 
reassured his interlocutors that Italy would "maintain 
maximum attention" to the region.  In Belgrade he pointed out 
that ICTY cooperation remains crucial for the region's 
advancement towards Europe.  DPM Labus promised that Belgrade 
would produce a revised compromise proposal on Kosovo 
decentralization in the coming weeks.  On the SaM State 
Union, Fini reiterated that the common State is still the 
fastest avenue to Europe, but Montenegrin President Vujanovic 
insisted that a union of independent States between Serbia 
and Montenegro the only way forward.   In Pristina Fini 
passed a clear message to all interlocutors: the focus must 
remain on standards implementation, particularly on areas 
linked to multi-ethnicity.  PolDir Terzi will brief Contact 
Group ambassadors on the trip on March 9.  The MFA is looking 
forward to productive exchanges during DAS Stephens March 15 
Rome visit.  End Summary. 
 
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Belgrade 
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2. (C) In a review of FM Fini's February 23-25 Balkans visit, 
MFA Balkans Office Director Raimondo De Cardona underscored 
the views Fini had expressed during his numerous public 
statements and press conferences in the region.  De Cardona 
told poloff that all of Fini's consultations in region had 
been "constructive."  In Belgrade, he met with SaM President 
Marovic, MFA Draskovic, Serbian PM Kostunica DPM Labus and 
Montenegrin President Vujanovic.  Fini conveyed to all 
Belgrade authorities a message of support for the reform 
process in SaM and stressed that Italy would "maintain 
maximum attention" to the region.  Fini also voiced Italy's 
call for all democratic forces to bridge their differences 
and unite in the common objective of advancing towards Europe. 
 
3.  (C) According to De Cardona Fini urged that SaM and the 
two Republics' governments work hard and cooperatively in the 
run-up to the EU Feasibility Study at the end of March.  He 
also praised Serbian authorities for recent improvements in 
ICTY cooperation (exemplified by the voluntary surrender of 
General Lazarevic).  ICTY cooperation remains crucial, Fini 
stressed, for the region's advancement towards Europe.  He 
cited with his SaM interlocutors Zagreb's handling of the 
Gotovina case and its repercussions on Croatia's EU accession 
process.  In an aside, De Cardona said that a "growing 
consensus" in the EU favored blocking Croatia's accession 
start date until Zagreb demonstrated "full cooperation" with 
the ICTY, and that the definition of full cooperation was 
becoming nothing less than Gotovina's delivery to The Hague. 
 
4.  (C) De Cardona said that Fini's interlocutors recognized 
that a positive Feasibility Study would be a long 
sought-after advancement towards European integration and a 
concrete "reward" for the efforts made by Belgrade 
authorities.  Kostunica acknowledged that cooperation with 
ICTY is a "very complex problem," requiring months of work to 
be addressed correctly.  But now a solution (i.e. the 
voluntary surrender) has been found, continued Kostunica, 
acceptable both for the state and for the indictees.   He 
predicted that this new approach would "continue to reap 
results until the end," which De Cardona read as Serbia 
employing this method for sending PIFWCs to the Hague in the 
future. 
 
5. (C) On Kosovo, Fini stressed that  it was in Belgrade's 
best interest  to participate actively in the process to find 
a political solution.  The Italian government is fully aware 
of the need to improve standards implementation, especially 
in the field of security, returns and minority rights, as 
well as to achieve results in decentralization and in the 
issue of protection of religious and cultural heritage sites. 
 Nonetheless it is convinced that these goals can be achieved 
only through Belgrade's cooperation and full commitment. 
Kostunica and Labus complained that the Belgrade Plan on 
decentralization was in principle welcomed but de facto 
rejected by the international community.  They remarked that 
the UNMIK plan does not include Belgrade's core proposals, 
especially those aimed at improving K/Serb security and 
protection of their basic rights.  While Kostunica opined 
that this was a violation of UNSC 1244, Labus recognized that 
the current stalemate requires an alternative proposal to be 
presented by Belgrade in the coming weeks. 
 
 
6.  (C) On the SaM State Union, Fini reiterated that the 
common State is still the fastest avenue to Europe.  Italy is 
certainly ready to respect the will of the people, but it 
would nevertheless seem contradictory to ignore problems of 
regional cooperation while promoting European integration. 
Marovic recognized that the State Union has been instrumental 
in improving political stability, while Vujanovic insisted 
that the new proposal for a union of independent States 
between Serbia and Montenegro, made public by the government 
of Montenegro on February 23, was "the only way forward." 
Fini remarked that starting a debate on this issue now would 
only divert attention from more urgent matters and generate 
delays.  Oddly, Vujanovic replied that Montenegro "is not in 
a hurry", thus contradicting his usual argument that 
independence would speed up Podgorica's integration process 
into Euro-Atlantic institutions. 
 
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Pristina 
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7. (C) In Pristina, Fini met Pres. Rugova, PM Haradinaj and 
K/Serb representatives (Ivanovic, Krstic, Bogdanovic and 
Petkovic).  Fini passed a clear message to all interlocutors: 
the focus must remain on standards implementation, 
particularly on areas linked to multi-ethnicity.  He 
emphasized that concrete progress on key standards was a 
precursor to any move forward on status negotiations and 
advancement towards EU membership ("the future of Kosovo is 
in your hands" Fini told his interlocutors). Fini underscored 
the IC's expectations of tangible results on 
decentralization, and urged progress on associated pilot 
projects.  In this respect, justice and police issues must be 
addressed with special care and in accordance with UNMIK 
policies.  Fini said that Italy is firmly convinced that the 
"ultimate solution" is integration of the whole region, 
Kosovo included, into the EU.  Immediate and unconditional 
independence, partition and return to pre-1999 situation are 
all unrealistic options. International and regional players 
(including Moscow and Belgrade) must "think creatively" about 
a compromise solution, acceptable to all and sustainable in 
the long run. 
 
8. (C) Fini welcomed the resumption of the Belgrade-Pristina 
direct dialogue, scheduled for March 10th, focusing initially 
on missing persons.  He urged that future sessions focus on 
other specific problems that need to be properly addressed to 
consolidate the overall process, such as border disputes, 
particularly in the case of Macedonia/Serbia/Kosovo. De 
Cardona said that Haradinaj made no reference to status 
issues while Rugova appeared "detached from reality" and 
continuously called for full and immediate Kosovo 
independence as the solution for all regional problems.  Fini 
urged his K/Serb interlocutors to take a more active role in 
developing Kosovar institutions, as participation is the only 
method to address legitimate concerns.  He suggested that 
they need to better coordinate positions, among themselves 
and also with Belgrade, which retains a role in Kosovo 
issues; their lack of unity prevents them from achieving 
substantial results. 
 
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DAS Stephens' visit 
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9. (SBU)  De Cardona reiterated that he and others in the 
ministry were looking forward to DAS Stephens' visit to Rome 
on March 15.  Poloff and De Cardona are coordinating the 
agenda (draft forwarded to EUR/SCE) which will likely include 
meetings with the European Affairs Director General and MFA 
Political Director, and with former PM Amato if schedules 
allow.   Separately, Political Director Giulio Terzi has 
invited Ambassadors of US, UK, France, Germany and Russia to 
lunch March 9 to discuss Fini,s trip and the way ahead on 
Kosovo. 
 
SEMBLER 
 
 
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	2005ROME00746 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL