US embassy cable - 05ROME807

UNCLAS ROME 000807 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, PGOV, SR, YI, KAWX, ICTY 
SUBJECT: ITALIAN SUPPORT FOR USG STATEMENT ON KOSOVO PM 
HARADINAJ ICTY INDICTMENT 
 
REF: STATE 39938 
 
1. (SBU)  MFA Balkans Office Director Raimondo De Cardona 
told poloff March 7 that the elements of the US statement on 
Kosovo PM Haradinaj's resignation contained were excellent. 
He was in the process of drafting Italy's statement, and 
would have liked to have followed our lead and been more 
direct in Italy's call for Haradinaj himself to urge calm in 
the wake of the resignation, but was "coordinating his 
statement with European partners." 
 
2.  (U)  Text of Italy's statement as released: 
 
Kosovar Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj resigns 
8 March 2005 - Appreciation has been expressed by the Italian 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the decision by the Prime 
Minister of the Provisional Institutions for Self-government 
of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj, to hand in immediately his 
resignation following the formal charges against him 
announced today by the war crimes Tribunal in The Hague. 
Haradinaj's decision is a positive indicator of a sense of 
responsibility. It will contribute, in this particularly 
challenging moment, in helping to maintain a climate of 
stability which is of fundamental importance so that the 
upcoming delicate deadlines set for Kosovo by the 
international community can be met with success. The Italian 
side places its trust, especially in this context, in the 
responsibility and maturity of the Kosovar population, which 
has the future of Kosovo in its hands. 
Italy is looking with confidence therefore to the deadlines 
regarding the examination of the internal situation and the 
standards scheduled for next summer, and to the subsequent 
general considerations on the future of Kosovo. Over and 
above the decisions that will be adopted following the 
initiative of the Hague Tribunal, the government needs to be 
able to pursue its activities with the necessary energy and 
efficiency, thanks to the support of all political forces 
with a democratic vocation in Kosovo. 
The joint commitment to persevere with determination and 
responsibility in the work initiated by the Haradinaj 
government in a spirit of widespread unity and solidarity, 
must constitute more than ever today the guiding principle 
for the actions of the Kosovar institutions, and this in 
order to strengthen the region's European prospects. The 
Italian government will continue to provide its convinced 
support in this matter. 
 
End Text. 
 
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	2005ROME00807 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED