EGYPT HAS NO POSITION ON KOSOVO ICJ RESOLUTION

UNCLAS CAIRO 001931 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL UN UNGA KV EG SUBJECT: EGYPT HAS NO POSITION ON KOSOVO ICJ RESOLUTION REF: A. STATE 91908 ¶B. CAIRO 1410 ¶C. CAIRO 579 -Sensitive but Unclassified. Please handle accordingly. ¶1. (SBU) PolOff delivered reftel points to the Office of Eastern and Southern European Affairs at the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on September 1. We stressed USG concerns over Serbia's request for a UNGA resolution seeking an International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion on Kosovo's independence. Third Secretary Karim Fathi Saad stated that Egypt had no official stance on the ICJ advisory opinion. He informed us that Serbian Foreign Minister Jeremic met with Egyptian Foreign Minister Abu al-Ghayt in early August to advocate for Serbia's position. Egypt listened to the Serbian argument, but has not responded to the Serbians. However, he wondered what could be wrong with having the Serbian request for an ICJ opinion play out at the UN. ¶2. (SBU) Saad noted that Egypt was taking a very cautious approach to the Kosovo issue. The Government of Egypt is concerned with the implications of that Kosovo declaration of independence will have on other countries. "We live in an unstable region and we are concerned about the implications that the Kosovo issue will have in our area", he said. He also pointed out that Kosovo's situation was no longer unique and precipitated the situation in South Ossetia and Abkahazia. He stated that the position of the GOE is that issues of independence and recognition should be resolved by consensus in the UNSC with the participation and concurrence of the involved parties. SCOBEY