US embassy cable - 05BRATISLAVA449

UNCLAS  BRATISLAVA 000449 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
FOR EUR/SCE and EUR/NCE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, LO 
SUBJECT: CONFERENCE ON BALKANS HIGHLIGHTS ROLE FOR SLOVAKIA 
 
1. Summary/Introduction: On May 20-21 the Research Center of the 
Slovak Foreign Policy Association (SFPA) hosted a conference on 
"Assessing Developments in the Western Balkans: Problems of 
Today, Ideas for the Future."  Co-sponsors of the conference 
were the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Friedrich Ebert 
Stiftung, the EU Institute for Security Studies in Paris and the 
U.S. German Marshall Fund. 
 
2. Slovakia considers the Balkans one of its "niche 
capabilities" in foreign policy, and most of its foreign 
assistance is disbursed in the region.  Slovakia aims to serve 
as a role model of transformation, and strongly supports 
integration of Balkan countries to NATO and the European Union. 
The conference brought together policy makers, think tank and 
academics, and representatives of international institutions to 
present ideas on ways forward in the Balkans.  The collection of 
papers and presentations will be published in a special fall 
2005 issues of the journal "Slovak Foreign Policy Affairs," and 
we will forward a copy to EUR when it becomes available.  End 
summary. 
 
Slovakia as Role Model; EU and NATO Accession as Goal 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
3.  During the introduction, State Secretary of the Slovak MFA 
Magda Vasaryova said Slovakia would like to serve as a role 
model for transformation in the Balkans.  OSCE SYG Jan Kubis 
explained the history of the OSCE role in the region.  Mladen 
Ivanic, Foreign Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, said that 
the idea of a "High Representative" was good, and could also be 
appropriate in Kosovo, but only if there is a pre-determined end 
to his rule.  Ten years after the war, it is time for the High 
Rep to go, and for Bosnia and Herzegovina to rule itself. Ivan 
Vejvoda (Executive Director of Balkan Trust for Democracy 
advocated for Serbia to be accepted into Partnership for Peace 
(the "kindergarten of NATO") as this process would help Serbia 
to open the doors also to EU and other international 
institutions. 
 
4. The first panel dealt with "The Future of the Stabilization 
and Association Process" and included the following speakers: 
Chair, Vladimir Bilcik of the Slovak Foreign Policy Association; 
Franz-Lotha Altmann of Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politic; 
Vladimir Gligorov of the Institut fur Internationale 
Wirtschaftsvergleiche in Vienna; Mladen Stanici, the Director of 
the Institute for International Relations in Coratia; and 
Predrag Boskovic, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia 
and Montenegro.  The speakers advocated for eventual EU 
membership for the countries of the Western Balkans, and 
discussed obstacles to overcome such as ICTY conditions. 
 
No Answers for Kosovo 
--------------------- 
 
5. The second panel addressed the final status of Kosovo as the 
most pressing challenge for the Western Balkans.  The panel was 
moderated by Slovak MFA Political Director Miroslav Lajcak. 
Speakers included Veton Surroi, Chief Editor of Koha Ditore from 
Kosovo; Aleksander Simic, Vojislav Kostunica's Advisor for 
Kosovo; Judy Batt, Research Fellow at the EU Institute for 
Security Studies; and Filip Tesar from the Institute for 
International Relations in Prague.  The panel looked at what 
major obstacles still remain to resolving Kosovo's final status, 
and under what conditions an agreement could be reached on this 
issue.  There was criticism from Serbia that the Kosovar 
Albanians cannot identify leaders who are able to discuss 
concrete, practical issues. 
 
Coming to Terms with History in Bosnia and Herzegovina 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
6.  The third panel analyzed unresolved statehood issues in 
Bosnia and Herzegovia (BH) including levels of federalism, 
minority rights, and sustainable economic development.  Igor 
Radojcic, an MP from the Alliance of Independent Socialist 
Democrats Party in BH, asserted that the Office of the High 
Representative (OHR) has been very efficient in "running 
everything", but that it is time for parliament to become a 
larger player in BH's future.  He recommended three changes; 
first, the EU must convert from "governors into advisors", 
second, structural changes must take Serbian culture into 
consideration, and third, emphasis must be placed on economic 
development or none of the democratic institutions will be 
lasting.  Jakob Finci, President of the Jewish Community in BH, 
commented that in BH there are no citizens, just ethnic 
minorities.  As a result, the OHR must persist for the present 
while dialogue continues between all the parties and an 
acceptable federalist system is established.  He further stated 
that this cannot happen until the country comes to terms with 
its history and ceases to "negotiate it". 
 
The "Bratislava Process" Continues 
---------------------------------- 
 
7.  Foreign Minister Kukan, a former UN special envoy to the 
Balkans, was the key-note speaker in the last panel focused on 
Central European Assistance to the Western Balkans.  He 
highlighted that this panel, and the conference in general, 
finally gave needed recognition to the important role of Slovak 
diplomacy in the Balkan democratic transition.  He used the 
phrase "the Bratislava Process" to refer to the transfer of 
know-how from Slovak NGOs experienced in civic education and 
get-out-the-vote campaigns to Serbian opposition groups under 
Milosevic.  The GOS supported these activities in Belgrade and 
also invited activists to Bratislava.  Kukan commented that 
Slovakia hoped to be as engaged in the Kosovo experience and 
negotiations.  Kukan answered questions pertaining to Slovakia's 
policy on Croatian EU accession.  Regarding Slovak assistance 
projects in the Balkans, Kukan repeated that Slovakia means what 
it says about making the Balkans its foreign policy priority. 
 
8. Other members of the panel included Harald Kreid, Central 
European Initiative Director General; Katarina Vajdova of the 
Bratislava-Belgrade Trust Fund; and Jelica Minic of the European 
Movemement in Serbia.  They analyzed current Slovak assistance 
efforts to Serbia through its newly established official 
development aid (ODA) program.  Projects funded through the 
Bratislava-Belgrade fund focus on regional development projects, 
small and medium enterprises, and Serbia's European transition. 
Minic stated that Slovakia has a proven ability to affect change 
on a local level.  Its accomplishments are largely due to its 
ability to adapt models and schemes to the local context quicker 
than large foreign donors.  She added the most of the impetus 
for European integration is coming from the NGO sector, which 
could garner much information from the Slovak system.  They also 
appreciated attempts for common lobbying for Balkan nations 
among new member states. 
 
9. Comment:  One of the recurring themes throughout the 
conference was the complementary roles that America and Europe 
play in the Balkans.  As one speaker noted, "The Europeans are 
compassionate, the Americans are efficient, and what is needed 
is compassionate efficiency." 
 
 
UNCLASSIFIED3 
 
SIPDIS 
 
         UNCLASSIFIED 
 
          UNCLASSIFIED 
ED 
 
 
NNNN