FINLAND: VIEWS TO RESOLVE KOSOVO STATUS

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000878 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV YI FI SUBJECT: FINLAND: VIEWS TO RESOLVE KOSOVO STATUS REF: STATE 165486 Classified By: PolChief Greg Thome for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d) ¶1. (C) PolChief delivered subject demarche to Finnish MFA Balkans Office Director Juha Ottman. Ottman said that the GoF fully shares US views on nearly all points, including the need to return to full implementation of the Ahtisaari proposals in the likely event that Kosovo's final status cannot be resolved at the UN Security Council. Finland will join the US and a preponderance of EU member states in recognizing an independent Kosovo in the event of a unilateral declaration of independence. ¶2. (C) Ottman highlighted three problematic issues that have arisen in the EU's internal discussions and emphasized that the GoF supports none of them. These include (1) a call from certain MS for extending the Troika-led negotiating period; (2) arguments from some that recognizing a Kosovar declaration of independence could have a destabilizing effect in Bosnia or elsewhere; and (3) calls by some for the ESDP Mission in Kosovo to proceed even while the final status question remains unresolved. Finland shares none of these views. In particular, Ottman emphasized, final status must be resolved in order for the ESDP and the ICO missions to have any hope of success. Finland also views UNSCR 1244 as providing sufficient authority for a international presence even after a declaration of independence. ¶3. (C) Ottman did mention that the EU is likely to urge Pristina not to unilaterally declare independence prior to the Serb presidential elections Feb. 3. Initially Finland was suspicious of this approach, aware that it would have to be handled with enormous care in order to avoid creating any gray areas for Belgrade to further exploit. However, Ottman said, the EU has concluded that if any Serb manipulation beyond the Feb. 3 date appears evident, the EU will simply "give Pristina the green light." Based on this, Finland will not block consensus on this point. WARE