TURKEY/KOSOVO: TURKEY TO FOLLOW CLOSE ON OUR HEELS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000275 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/SCE JOSHUA BLACK E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2018 TAGS: PREL UNAUS UNMIK PROV YI EU OSCE TU SUBJECT: TURKEY/KOSOVO: TURKEY TO FOLLOW CLOSE ON OUR HEELS REF: A. SECSTATE 14284 ¶B. ANKARA 236 ¶C. SECSTATE 12026 Classified By: Ambassador Ross Wilson, reasons 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (U) This message contains an action request at para 5. ¶2. (C) Ambassador emphasized our hope that countries would recognize Kosovo soon after it declares independence, and reviewed with MFA U/S Apakan the request that Turkey become a member of the Kosovo International Steering Group (ISG) (refs b and c). Apakan confirmed Turkey would recognize as soon as possible after the Quint and the US. He said Turkey was eager to become an ISG member. He sought assurance that Turkey would participate as a full ISG member, not as an observer. Turkey's 30,000 citizens of Albanian origin are lobbying hard for Turkey to take a lead role. Ambassador affirmed that we welcome Turkey taking a strong, visible role as a full ISG member. Apakan noted he had earlier directed his people to start working with Turkish industry and entrepreneurs to come up with a menu of areas where Turkey could invest and contribute to Kosovo's socio-economic development. Turkey also plans to help develop institutions of higher learning in Kosovo. ¶3. (C) Apakan requested that we keep in close touch in the run-up to the declaration of independence to ensure that Turkey can follow close on our heels. He asked if we could share in advance the substance of the text the USG plans to release. This would help the GOT formulate its own text, ensure it is on the same track, and speed its internal process. Apakan also queried at what point the USG planned to upgrade its representation in Pristina. ¶4. (C) Ambassador also noted that the Serbs and Russians are lobbying to invoke the OSCE's Berlin Mechanism immediately after the Kosovar declaration of independence (ref a). We do not support this and it is not the right venue; Kosovo has been dealt with in the UN, under UNSCR 1244. Apakan indicated his understanding and agreement. ¶5. (C) Action request: If we are able to share in advance the outline of the text the USG plans to release, we believe this would be useful in just the way Apakan described. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey WILSON