LUXEMBOURG'S NEW MFA SECRETARY-GENERAL ADDRESSES

C O N F I D E N T I A L LUXEMBOURG 000490 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/SCE (JOSHUA BLACK) E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/11/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV YI LU SUBJECT: LUXEMBOURG'S NEW MFA SECRETARY-GENERAL ADDRESSES KOSOVO REF: STATE 165486 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission, Steven H. Kraft, for reasons 1. 4(b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Ambassador received new MFA Secretary-General Paul Duhr on 12 December and delivered points on Kosovo contained in reftel. Without directly addressing the intransigence of any individual member states, Duhr speculated that the EU would eventually release a statement on its position on a Kosovar declaration of independence. Responding to our suggestions that we have heard rumblings that some EU member states have said they "won't be the first to recognize independence, nor the last," Duhr opined that any EU statement might leave it open to individual states to proceed with recognition at their own pace. The Ambassador noted our hope that Luxembourg will continue to work toward a firm EU consensus on the issue of recognition. ¶2. (C) Duhr also commented that the EU is moving forward on the new international presences that will supervise Kosovo (ICO and ESDP Rule of Law). Duhr added that the inherent difficulties in these missions may be underestimated, as the Kosovars have a long way to go to reach self-sufficiency in governing their country. Duhr also expected these missions to present significant resource challenges for EU member states given their many other priorities, including Chad. ¶3. (C) Duhr pointed out that one element of the situation that makes it a uniquely European problem is the lingering questions Serbia poses for EU member states. Will Serbia eventually be welcomed into the European Union? How does the EU use the carrot of possible membership, if further expansion of the Union is so problematic? Duhr pointed out that these are questions the Europeans must address, not the United States. ¶4. (C) Finally, Duhr commented that publicly keeping the Europeans "out front" on the issue of Kosovo was the right strategy for the United States for the moment. The U.S. position on Kosovo's independence is clear to all, and publicly underlining it on a continual basis would not be helpful and could actually make it more difficult for the EU to do "what needs to be done." WAGNER