C O N F I D E N T I A L DILI 000172

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/MTS AND EUR/SCE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 7/2/2018
TAGS: PREL UN PGOV YI KV TT
SUBJECT: NO CHANGE IN TIMOR-LESTE POSITION ON KOSOVO

REF: STATE 69691

CLASSIFIED BY: Henry M. Rector, Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S.
Embassy Dili, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d)




1.(C) DCM met July 2 with Vicky Tchong, Secretary General of
Timor-Leste's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to brief her on
recent developments in Kosovo and urge that Timor-Leste publicly
recognize Kosovo's independence (reftel). Ms. Tchong said that
there had been no change in Timor-Leste's position, i.e., that
Timor-Leste recognizes Kosovo's independence but is not yet
prepared to make a public statement to that effect. She said
that any public acknowledgement by Timor-Leste of an independent
Kosovo would have to go through "our own internal political
process." However, she accepted a non-paper based on reftel and
agreed to brief Foreign Minister Zacarias Da Costa on the issue.
She also asked for a list of countries that have already
publicly recognized Kosovo, and we undertook to provide this
information.

KLEMM