BOSNIA- PRESIDENT KOMSIC SUPPORTS US POSITION ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SARAJEVO 002655 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR (DICARLO, EUR/SCE (HOH, SILBERSTEIN, FOOKS, STINCHCOMB, BLACK) E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV BK YI SUBJECT: BOSNIA- PRESIDENT KOMSIC SUPPORTS US POSITION ON KOSOVO REF: STATE 165486 Classified By: Ambassador Charles English for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) On December 12, Ambassador reviewed reftel points on next steps on Kosovo status with Chairman of the Presidency Zeljko Komsic. Ambassador highlighted the points recently raised by A/S Fried during his visit to Sarajevo that the United States understands the particularly delicate position Bosnia is in regarding Kosovo status, and looks to the Bosnian leadership to carefully develop a consensus around the issue over time in support of the US and EU position emphasizing that we do not/not expect Bosnia to be in a position to recognize Kosovo for the forseeable future. Ambassador also stressed that Bosnian leaders, particularly Republika Srpska Prime Minister Milorad Dodik, must avoid attempting to link the Kosovo situation to Bosnia and that all efforts must be taken to ensure regional stability. ¶2. (C) President Komsic thanked the Ambassador for "understanding the situation" in Bosnia, and voiced his support for the US position. Komsic said he was unsure how Kosovo status would play out domestically in Bosnia, and he had some concerns that Dodik shy away from cooperation with the US and EU on the issue and instead "choose" to align his position with Serbia and Russia. Above all, Komsic told the Ambassador, the US and EU must remain as one to ensure that the final status process is concluded smoothly. ¶3. (C) We also raised reftel points with Acting Assistant Foreign Minister Davorka Istuk, MFA America's Desk Officer Asim Karahasanovic, and Foreign Minister's Advisor Asim Dorovic. Istuk and Dorovic pledged to relay the US position to FM Alkalaj, and stated that Bosnia supported the approach as outlined. ENGLISH