Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BRUSSELS255
2008-02-14 14:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Brussels
Cable title:  

BELGIUM PLEDGES EARLY RECOGNITION OF KOSOVO, WILL

Tags:  PREL BE 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO8239
OO RUEHAG RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHBS #0255 0451423
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 141423Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7030
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0235
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUCNOSC/OSCE POST COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 000255 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
NOFORN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2018
TAGS: PREL BE
SUBJECT: BELGIUM PLEDGES EARLY RECOGNITION OF KOSOVO, WILL
OPPOSE RUSSIA ON ABKHAZIA ISSUE

REF: A. A. STATE 14840


B. B. STATE 13716

C. C. BRUSSELS 238 (NOTAL)

Classified By: Political Counselor Theodore H Andrews, Reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 000255

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
NOFORN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2018
TAGS: PREL BE
SUBJECT: BELGIUM PLEDGES EARLY RECOGNITION OF KOSOVO, WILL
OPPOSE RUSSIA ON ABKHAZIA ISSUE

REF: A. A. STATE 14840


B. B. STATE 13716

C. C. BRUSSELS 238 (NOTAL)

Classified By: Political Counselor Theodore H Andrews, Reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d)


1. (C) The Belgian government will be at the "front" of the
line of countries recognizing Kosovo's independence,
according to senior officials in both the Prime Minister's
office and the Foreign Minister's private office. The "core
cabinet" of senior party leaders had approved this position
already; formal approval by the full cabinet would be
forthcoming on February 15. The Belgians do not intend to
publicize this position before the Kosovars actually took the
step of declaring independence.


2. (C) In response to the reftel A demarche concerning the
breakaway Georgian state, the Chief of Staff said explicitly
that his Minister would oppose any Russian maneuvers to
equate the Kosovo situation with any of the frozen conflicts,
including Abkhazia. Walter Stevens, De Gucht's Chief of
Staff, told polcouns that the MFA would remain alert to this
issue, about which the UK and French embassies already had
been in contact.


3. (C) During the course of discussing Kosovo, Stevens
repeatedly sought to assure us that Belgium "would be one of
the good guys" on recognition. He added that the head of the
Balkan desk and the MFA's Director General for Multilateral
Affairs, two officials who earlier had suggested that Belgium
would follow a go-slow policy, "do not set the line" on this
issue. Fox
.