US embassy cable - 03ROME1063

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001063 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE AND EUR/WE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, YI, IT, NATO 
SUBJECT: SUBJECT: GOI WILL DISCUSS KPC REFORM, UNION OF 
SERB MUNICIPALITIES, AND GOSM COOPERATION WITH ICTY DURING 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
 
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MARCH 20 QUINT MEETING IN LONDON 
 
REF: REF: A) STATE 59321 B) STATE 52211 C) STATE 62764 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: CLASSIFIED BY A/POL MINISTER COUNSELOR GARY ROBBINS. REA 
SON:1.5 (B)(D) 
 
1.  (C)  SUMMARY: ON MARCH 11, MFA BALKAN AFFAIRS OFFICE 
DIRECTOR FERNANDO GENTILINI TOLD POLOFF THAT THE GOI AGREES 
WITH USG POINTS (REFTELS) ON THE NEED FOR KOSOVO PROTECTION 
CORPS (KPC) REFORM, FORMATION OF THE UNION OF SERB 
MUNICIPALITIES, AND, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF CARDS ASSISTANCE, 
TYING IC AID TO GOSM COOPERATION WITH THE ICTY.  ITALY LOOKS 
FORWARD TO DISCUSSING THESE ISSUES AT THE MARCH 20 QUINT IN 
LONDON.  END SUMMARY. 
 
KPC REFORM 
---------- 
 
2.  (C)  GENTILINI TOLD POLOFF THAT THE GOI CONCURS WITH USG 
VIEW (REF A) THAT COORDINATED QUINT ACTION IS NECESSARY TO 
ENERGIZE THE KOSOVO PROTECTION CORPS REFORM PROCESS.  HE HAD 
ALREADY INSTRUCTED ITALIAN MISSIONS IN BELGRADE AND PRISTINA 
TO PRESS LOCAL AUTHORITIES FOR A QUICK START-UP OF THE CIVIL 
PROTECTION DEVELOPMENT GROUP. 
 
3.  (C)  GENTILINI SAID THAT AT THE MARCH 20 QUINT MEETING IN 
LONDON THE GOI WOULD UNDERLINE THE NEED FOR A COORDINATED, 
CLEAR STRATEGY IN KOSOVO TO TURN "STANDARDS BEFORE STATUS" 
FROM MERELY A SLOGAN TO A DEVELOPMENT ACTION PLAN.  EU HIREP 
SOLANA'S STAFF WAS DRAFTING A NON-PAPER TO HELP THE IC MOVE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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IN THAT DIRECTION; IT WAS GENTILINI'S HOPE THAT THE QUINT 
COULD DISCUSS THE PAPER IN LONDON.  HE ALSO SAID THAT THERE 
WAS A GROWING PERCEPTION IN THE IC THAT "NO ONE IS IN CHARGE" 
IN KOSOVO, AND HE WAS NOT SURE HOW MUCH LOCAL QUINT 
REPRESENTATIVES COULD DO TO CHANGE THAT SITUATION.  "IT MAY 
BE TIME FOR ANOTHER HIGH-LEVEL (SOLANA) VISIT." 
 
UNION OF SERB MUNICIPALITIES 
---------------------------- 
 
4.  (C)  THE GOI ALSO SHARES USG CONCERNS OVER THE FORMATION 
OF THE UNION OF SERB MUNICIPALITIES (REF B).  SUCH 
ORGANIZATIONS ARE NOT TO BE ENCOURAGED, SAID GENTILINI, AND 
THE TENDENCY OF LOCALS TO FORM SUCH GROUPS OUTSIDE OF THE 
UNSC 1244 FRAMEWORK IS YET ANOTHER MANIFESTATION OF THE LACK 
OF STRONG LEADERSHIP IN THE REGION.  IT WAS OBVIOUS, HE SAID, 
THAT THIS WAS BEING DONE WITH A WINK AND PERHAPS ACTIVE 
ENCOURAGEMENT AND ASSISTANCE FROM BELGRADE.  GENTILINI 
CONCURRED WITH, AND WOULD INSTRUCT GOI MISSIONS TO 
PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVITIES DESCRIBED REF B TO DISCOURAGE 
CONTACT WITH SUCH ORGANIZATIONS.  BUT HE EMPHASIZED THAT THIS 
EFFORT NEEDED TO BE PART OF A COORDINATED STRATEGY FOR THE 
QUINT TO DISCUSS IN LONDON. 
 
GOSM COOPERATION WITH ICTY 
-------------------------- 
 
5.  (C)  GENTILINI SAID THAT THE GOI AGREED THAT THE IC MUST 
USE ALL TOOLS AT ITS DISPOSAL TO PRESS THE GOSM TO IMPROVE 
COOPERATION WITH THE ICTY (REF C).  FOR EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, 
THAT WOULD INCLUDE CONDITIONALITY ON BELGRADE'S REQUEST TO 
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JOIN THE COE AND DEVELOPMENT OF A STABILIZATION AND 
ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT.  HOWEVER, HE CONTINUED, THAT 
CONDITIONALITY SHOULD NOT EXTEND TO CARDS ASSISTANCE, WHICH 
IS AIMED AT SUPPORTING THE VERY INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY THAT 
THE IC IS TRYING TO PROMOTE, AND INCREASING CONFIDENCE IN THE 
RULE OF LAW.  GENTILINI ARGUED THAT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO 
UNDERSTAND IF ONE WAS A SERB WHY, AT THE MOMENT THE COUNTRY 
WAS BEGINNING TO MAKE PROGRESS ON RECONSTRUCTING THE JUDICIAL 
SYSTEM AND OTHER SEGMENTS OF THE LEGAL INFRASTRUCTURE, THE IC 
HALTED SUCH AID.  IT WOULD BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO THE IC'S 
GOALS. 
 
6.  (C)  NOTE:  THIS CONVERSATION TOOK PLACE PRIOR TO THE 
DJINDJIC ASSASSINATION.  POLOFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH GENTILINI 
ON POINTS RELATED TO THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN BELGRADE THAT 
GOI WILL RAISE AT THE QUINT AND EU GAC AND COUNCIL MEETINGS 
DURING THE WEEK OF MARCH 17. 
SEMBLER 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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 2003ROME01063 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL