SYG BAN SUPPORTS KOSOVO END GOAL BUT WANTS TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 001121 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/06/2017 TAGS: UNSC PREL UNMIK KV YI SUBJECT: SYG BAN SUPPORTS KOSOVO END GOAL BUT WANTS TO AVOID EARLY FIGHT WITH RUSSIA Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SYG Ban told Ambassador Khalilzad in a tete-a-tete breakfast on December 5 that he supports the end goal of coordinated independence for Kosovo, is willing to reconfigure UNMIK and will not vitiate a coordinated declaration of independence by Kosovo. However, Ban said he hopes he is not pushed early on to take actions that stir up an ill-timed and contentious fight with Russia that might undermine his later and more critical role. Regarding Ban's transmittal letter for the Troika's report, Ban stated that he is willing to say that the Troika process has concluded, regrettably there was no agreement, and all parties have committed to non-violence. Ban is hesitant to say in his letter that the status quo is not sustainable or to declare that Special Envoy Ahtisaari's proposal remains on the table. ¶2. (C) Ban thinks that, in order not to undermine UNMIK, the EU should be careful in its formulations for describing which actions it will take and how it will take them in the period before Kosovo declares independence and is recognized by the U.S. and many EU countries. Ban believes that the EU statement coming out of the December 13-14 summit should be carefully worded in how it defines the EU's missions. Ban explained that in the period before a coordinated declaration of independence the EU should merely state that it is "working with the United Nations." Ban thinks later the reality on the ground in Kosovo and the EU's operational vocabulary can change. Khalilzad