CZECHS SUPPORT UNSC NEGOTIATIONS ON KOSOVO; SHARE

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAGUE 000552 SIPDIS SIPDIS EUR/NCE; EUR/SCE FOR JOSHUA BLACK E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV YI EZ SUBJECT: CZECHS SUPPORT UNSC NEGOTIATIONS ON KOSOVO; SHARE A FEW CONCERNS REF: A. STATE 64975 ¶B. BRATISLAVA 00281 Classified By: Political-Economic Counselor Mike Dodman for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary. The Czech government strongly supports the UNSC resolution on Kosovo independence. The Czech MFA has minor reservations with the draft resolution (which it obtained from its mission in New York) and suggested ways to make the text more effective. The Czechs also expressed concern about the negative impact of unilateral support for independence by the United States should the resolution fail. End summary. ¶2. (C) Czech MFA Deputy Director of the Southeast and East European Department Martina Tauberova told Poloff in a meeting on May 15 that the Czech government continues to strongly support a UNSC resolution recognizing independence for Kosovo (Ref A). Tauberova said the Czech UN mission obtained a copy of the draft resolution. The Czechs generally support the current text. She raised only two concerns. First, with reference to paragraph nine (concerning the 120-day transition period),Tauberova said the text should clearly state that the mandate for KFOR continues automatically at the end of the transition period. Second, she was concerned that the resolution does not require other states to recognize Kosovo's independence, i.e., that recognition would be optional. ¶3. (C) Regarding Russia's position, Tauberova said MFA colleagues have become more optimistic in recent days that Russia will ultimately support the resolution. She said many non-permanent UNSC members became supporters of the resolution after the recent fact-finding mission, leaving Russia without partners to oppose the resolution. She added that Slovakia, though not publicly supporting the resolution, has informed the Serbian government that it will not block the resolution (Ref B). ¶4. (C) Tauberova said the Czechs remain concerned about what could happen should the resolution fail and the U.S. unilaterally recognize Kosovo. In such event, she predicted stark divisions within the EU, which could have a devastating impact on military and financial aid for Kosovo. Without EU support, for example, Kosovo could lose its KFOR and OCI missions and access to EU financial instruments. GRABER