Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06RIGA690
2006-08-29 05:57:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Riga
Cable title:  

LATVIA IN TUNE WITH BASIC PRINCIPLES ON KOSOVO

Tags:  PREL MOPS UNSC YI LG 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO3599
RR RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHRA #0690 2410557
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 290557Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY RIGA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3280
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L RIGA 000690 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/29/2011
TAGS: PREL MOPS UNSC YI LG
SUBJECT: LATVIA IN TUNE WITH BASIC PRINCIPLES ON KOSOVO

REF: STATE 136492

Classified By: Charge d'affaires a.i. Phillip L. Antweiler. Reason: 1.4
(d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L RIGA 000690

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/29/2011
TAGS: PREL MOPS UNSC YI LG
SUBJECT: LATVIA IN TUNE WITH BASIC PRINCIPLES ON KOSOVO

REF: STATE 136492

Classified By: Charge d'affaires a.i. Phillip L. Antweiler. Reason: 1.4
(d)


1. (C) Pol/econ chief drew from reftel points to brief
Latvian PolDir Ilgvars Klava on our current thinking on
Kosovo August 28. Klava said that Latvia was fully in
agreement with the basic principles outlined by the USG and
strongly supported Ahtisaari's mission. He underscored that
Kosovo needs a long-term and lasting resolution to status
that contributes to regional stability, otherwise it could
"blow up in our face." While he did not expressly say that
Latvia supported independence for Kosovo, Klava noted that
Serbia would "come out on the short end ) no matter what
dreams may still exist in Belgrade" and underscored that
return to rule by Belgrade was unacceptable and unworkable.
He acknowledged that the EU had a special role in "easing
Belgrade's pain" but said that the continuing debate in the
EU on enlargement made it difficult to convey a message
easily understood by the Serbian public. He also stressed
that Latvia would like to get to a point where KFOR could be
reduced and soldiers there used for other missions, but was
clear that this required a viable status outcome. Latvia is
trying to play a constructive role in developing the EU's
rule of law mission, providing a police expert to help with
planning, he said.


2. (C) Klava made two points regarding Russian views on
Kosovo. First, he rejected the idea that any outcome for
Kosovo be implemented in a staged manner if that would
contain mechanisms whereby Russia could block progress to the
next stage (i.e. regular review by the UNSC and requiring new
UNSCRs, which Russia could veto, to move to the next step).
Second, he was clear that Kosovo was not the same as the
frozen conflicts in Georgia, Moldova and elsewhere and that
it was vital that we "hit back" every time the Russians
suggested either that Kosovo was a precedent for resolving
these other conflicts or that there was any linkage between
resolving Kosovo and these other issues.
Antweiler