Cablegate: Triumph Over Negative Images in Ultra-Nationalist Heartland

VZCZCXYZ0017
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBW #0867 2260828
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 140827Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0000
INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

UNCLAS BELGRADE 000867

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE (P. PETERSON)
EUR/PPD (J. RAHIMI)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPAO SR
SUBJECT: TRIUMPH OVER NEGATIVE IMAGES IN ULTRA-NATIONALIST HEARTLAND
OF SERBIA

Summary
-------

1. (SBU) In a "tactical strike" on anti-American sentiment, the Embassy
brought in a U.S. Navy band to play at the annual brass band festival in
Guca, in Serbia's nationalist-leaning heartland. While the appearance of the
band in the rowdy, beer-lubricated environment of this festival of
traditional Serbian music was a risk, the band was welcomed by officials,
event organizers, and, most importantly, the people. There was a low spot
during a late-night concert when the drunken crowd booed the band
(and other international bands); but the positive reaction during the
rest of six-day festival, and the almost jubilant support from national
media, showed that the risk paid off. The band's impact shows that Serbs
are ready for a change in tone, but Serbia's senior leadership must come
up with more courageous language stressing the new phase in our relations.
End Summary.

Trumpet Diplomacy in the Heart of Serbia
----------------------------------------

2. (U) The small Serbian village of Guca hosted the 49th annual brass band
festival, which gathered the best brass bands, or trubaci, from Serbia and
abroad (http://www.saborguca.com). While there are only about 2,000 perman
ent residents in Guca, more than half a million revelers pour in during the
festival every
year. Our Public Diplomacy, Defense Attache Office and RSO worked together
to
arrange for the Naval Forces Europe and Africa Allied Forces Band to perform
at the Guca festival this year from August 5-10. The band, known as the
Diplomats, is based in Naples, Italy.

Potential Risk, Overwhelmingly Positipve Response
--------------------------------------------- -

3. (U) The band's appearance could potentially have backfired, due to anti-
U.S. views typical among participants at the event. Guca lies in Serbia's
central
Sumadija region, where strong nationalist sentiment still rules and most
people associate the United States with the NATO bombing campaign of 1999.
The festival attracts individuals with similar leanings, together with
foreigners, putting them into a raucous environment of loud music,
traditional Serbian food grilled over hot fires, and free-flowing beer.
The appearance of a U.S. military band in white Navy uniform in the
heartland of Serbia could have invited a negative reaction from participants
and the press.

4. (U) To set a positive tone before the festival, the band performed live
on Serbia's most popular morning show, and the PAO was interviewed
explaining how the visit came about. Embassy organizers worked closely with
the RSO, a Serbian Interior Ministry protection team, and local police to
balance security concerns with public diplomacy objectives.

5. (U) The reaction was enthusiastic. Whether on stage or walking through
the festival crowds at Guca, band members and Embassy officers were greeted
with enthusiasm and respect. Festival-goers responded to the Diplomats' down-
to-earth demeanor. Press reported that the U.S. Embassy was in Guca "for the
music," seeing our presence as a sign of respect for Serbian traditional
culture. Every day during the festival, national and local press wrote
articles exclusively about the U.S. Navy band and U.S. Embassy support for
the festival. Even rabidly anti-U.S. tabloid "Kurir" wrote a positive
article featuring a photo of the band with the Cultural Attache. Prominent
national daily "Politika" carried photos of the band on its front page.
Municipality mayor and festival chairman Slobodan Jolovic was an enthusiastic
host. Jolovic appeared with the Charge in a press conference August 8 and
thanked her for fulfilling her promise from the prior year to bring an American
band in 2009.

6. (U) The Diplomats hit just the right tone in all their public statements
: modest and complimentary. Navy band trumpeter Antonio Rice said members
of a local orchestra had "lips of steel" from playing their fast trubaci-
style music.
Following the August 8 press conference, the Diplomats took to the stage
with the local band for an impromptu joint concert, which was again replayed
nationally. The Charge told the media that the band had come to the Guca
festival to enjoy the atmosphere as musicians and to play, listen, and learn
from Serbia's greatest talents.

One Flat Note
-------------

7. (U) There was only one low point in an otherwise perfect week. During
the late-night Friday (August 7) Radio-Television Serbia (RTS)-televised
concert, the U.S. Navy band joined international groups from Slovenia,
Switzerland, Romania, France, Sweden, Greece, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina,
and Macedonia in a concert following the locally famous Balkanika and Boban and
Marko Markovic Orchestras. Partially due to the RTS team's poor choice of
timing but also because the huge, popular orchestras and easily accessible
beer had the crowd whipped into a frenzy, the Diplomats were greeted with
boos, and a few bottles were thrown on the stage. However, once the
Diplomats started their rendition of a traditional and popular Serbian song
"Svilen Konac," the mood of the crowd shifted, and when they moved to
American popular music, James Brown's "I Feel Good," the spectators danced
along. The next morning's press said that the professional attitude, bravery,

and musical talent of the U.S. military band won the day,
and the "hooligans" and "drunks" did not take away from the atmosphere and
goodwill of the celebration.

Comment
-------

8. (SBU) The Friday night jeers and a similar reaction to the U.S. athletic
team at the opening ceremony of the Universiade games in July show that
there is much work to be done to change perceptions in Serbia. Public
opinion polls continue to show an unfavorable rating for the United States
at 93%. Anger at the United States has been built up and sustained by many
years of anti-U.S. rhetoric. While most of this rhetoric now comes from
the ultra-nationalist opposition, ordinary people still know little
about the positive sides of the relationship between Serbia and the United
States, despite our constant, upbeat public profile. The leadership has
failed to explain that the negative events of the 1990s were the fault of
the Milosevic regime, leaving people to fixate on the United States.
Negative views have been aggravated in the wake of Kosovo's independence.
While only the Serbian leadership can bring about a decisive shift in
thinking, the warm response nationwide to the U.S. Navy's appearance in
Guca shows that the Serbian public is ready to move forward in our
relationship. End
Comment.
BRUSH

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