GERMANY SUPPRTS DISCUSSIONS ON KOSOVO OUTSIDE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 000286 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2018 TAGS: MARR MOPS NATO GM KV SUBJECT: GERMANY SUPPRTS DISCUSSIONS ON KOSOVO OUTSIDE NATO/EU FRAMEWRK REF: STATE 20333 Classified By: DEPUTY POLITICAL MC STAN OTTO FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D ). ¶1. (C) POLOFF delivered points in Reftel to Dr.Steffen Koch, desk officer for Defense and Securty Policy at the German Federal Foreign Office. Koch said Germany shared our disappointment that the February 25 meeting with EU and NATO countries to discuss Kosovo could not proceed as hoped. He expressed frustration about this back-and-forth between the EU and NATO. Koch joked about the need for "sand-box diplomacy" to resolve ongoing issues fomented by Turkey and Cyprus. Koch then noted that the situation in Kosovo requires immediate attention and stated clearly that Germany will support any ideas which bring NATO and EU countries together to coordinate a response to Serbia's provocative actions. ¶2. (C) When asked whether Germany would pressure Cyprus to act more flexibly toward Turkey when ESDP matters are at hand, Koch demurred. In response, he asked whether the U.S. would support a Cypriot request for a security agreement with NATO. Embassy will continue to follow up with the German MFA as necessary. KOENIG