Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ANKARA236
2008-02-08 16:00:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

KOSOVO: TURKEY WELCOMES STEERING GROUP INVITATION

Tags:  PGOV PREL TU YI ZL 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0023
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #0236 0391600
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 081600Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5173
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3/J-5// PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//USDP:PDUSDP/ISA:EUR/ISA:NESA/DSCA// PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU PRIORITY
RUEUITH/TLO ANKARA TU PRIORITY
RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000236 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/SCE JOSHUA BLACK

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL TU YI ZL
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: TURKEY WELCOMES STEERING GROUP INVITATION

REF: STATE 12026

Classified By: Political Counselor Janice G. Weiner, reasons 1.4 b, d

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000236

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/SCE JOSHUA BLACK

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL TU YI ZL
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: TURKEY WELCOMES STEERING GROUP INVITATION

REF: STATE 12026

Classified By: Political Counselor Janice G. Weiner, reasons 1.4 b, d


1. (C) Both MFA Deputy Director General for Americas Ersin
Ercin and Deputy Director General for Balkans and Western
Europe Hasan Asan assured us that Turkey's early recognition
for Kosovo's independence is certain. They described
President Tadic's re-election in Serbia as positive, and
hoped the post-declaration period can be managed. Asan
expected Turkey to immediately follow U.S., UK, France,
Germany, and Italy ("Quint") recognition, probably the very
next day. He foresaw Turkey as being somewhere between the
sixth and tenth country to recognize -- before most EU
countries. The FM and Council of Ministers have been primed,
he added. Asan emphasized that "Quint" recognition coming
first will minimize Serbian reaction against smaller,
regional countries, like Albania and Slovenia. Serbia, he
said, has an "action plan" for every country in the region,
but nothing for the powerful "Quint" countries. Asan noted
that Turkey has advised Tirana to avoid such a reaction by
not being the first to recognize.


2. (C) Asan noted the good cooperation Turkey shares with
the "Quint" and gladly welcomed the invitation to participate
in the International Steering Group (ISG),noting Turkey's
similar participation in the Bosnia Peace Implementation
Conference. Militarily, Turkey is already in Kosovo, and, he
noted, Turkey is effectively Kosovo's number one trading
partner when one factors in re-exported goods from Macedonia
with which Turkey has a free-trade agreement. Kosovo also
has a Turkish minority represented in its government.
Politically, Turkey has not been fully engaged in the Kosovo
process and Turkey's one million-strong ethnic
Kosovar/Albanian community constitutes a formidable political
force, which has pressured the government to become more
active.


3. (C) Asan flagged a couple of issues concerning the
upcoming independence declaration and the ISG. First, Turkey
has advised Kosovo -- most recently during Kosovar President
Sejdiu's February 6 "private" visit to Ankara -- to be very
clear about what it is stating in its declaration. If the
Kosovars refer to a transitional period, there might be
confusion. Countries such as Russia and Serbia could argue
they were recognizing a UNMIK transitional government as
opposed to full Kosovo independence. Second, he asked if
there were any U.S. concerns about the International Civilian
Representative (ICR) for Kosovo also wearing an EU hat when
the EU lacks consensus over Kosovo's independence. He noted
Turkey's presence on the ISG would help provide "balance"; so
too would Swiss participation. Asan also noted the
importance Turkey attaches to a donor conference being held
for Kosovo soon after independence.

Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey

WILSON