KOSOVO: SWISS SUPPORT DELIBERATE MOVEMENT TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L BERN 001130 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/SCE (J.BLACK) AND EUR/AGS (Y.SAINT-ANDRE). E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV YI SZ SUBJECT: KOSOVO: SWISS SUPPORT DELIBERATE MOVEMENT TO SUPERVISED INDEPENDENCE REF: 165486 Classified By: Poloff Chris Buck; reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Poloff presented the message in reftel on December 12 to Didier Chassot, MFA Regional Coordinator for Southeastern Europe. Chassot's deputy, Gabriele Derighetti, also participated in the meeting. Chassot said that Swiss thinking on the way forward in Kosovo is in line with USG views. He confirmed that the GOS supports the implementation of the Ahtisaari plan ("whether called that or something else, with the same elements"),including supervised independence. Poloff noted that, in a December 12 interview with the Swiss daily "Tribune de Geneve", Swiss Foreign Minister Calmy-Rey was quoted as saying "the independence of Kosovo is inescapable." In that same interview Calmy-Rey also reportedly says that "the urgency now for the international community is to put in place a calendar that leads to the independence of Kosovo. That process must not be unilateral, but coordinated. It is not something we should rush, but approach calmly." Chassot confirmed the contents of the press article, emphasizing the importance the GOS places on ensuring as coordinated and deliberate a process as possible. ¶2. (C) Commenting on the issue of timing, Chassot said the GOS has no definitive views, but understands that a number of time-frames for a possible declaration of independence by the Kosovo Assembly have been mentioned -- "mid-January, late February, or sometime later." While re-iterating that the GOS has no fixed ideas regarding timing, and acknowledging the importance of not allowing the status question to fester, Chassot said that "a good argument could be made" that the later such a declaration is made, the better. Specifically, he mentioned that waiting until after the EU has approved and fielded the ESDP Rule of Law mission could possibly help to smooth out EU internal politics, both in terms of approving the mission and in reacting to a declaration of independence. Chassot also mentioned Serbian elections as another possible factor to consider, "since we don't want to help the Serb radicals." Both Chassot and Derighetti remarked that how the Russians will react remains an open and important question. ¶3. (C) Chassot said that the GOS would not expect a declaration of independence by Kosovo to affect its ongoing contribution to KFOR (a company of approximately 200 soldiers),as long as UNSCR 1244 remains in effect. He noted that Switzerland currently has personnel working with the International Civilian Office Planning Team (ICOPT),and that Switzerland plans to contribute personnel to both the ICO and the ESDP Rule of Law mission (15-20 experts total currently are contemplated). Chassot also said that the GOS strongly supports the continuation of the OSCE mission in Kosovo. CONEWAY