KOSOVO -- PRESSING INDONESIA TO REJECT ICJ REFERRAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 001854 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EUR, EUR/SCE (SHIRATORI AND TOMLYANOVICH),IO, IO/UNP, L NSC FOR E.PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/03/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV UNGA ID KV SUBJECT: KOSOVO -- PRESSING INDONESIA TO REJECT ICJ REFERRAL REF: A. STATE 105796 ¶B. JAKARTA 1637 Classified By: Pol/C Joseph L. Novak, reasons 1.4(b+d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: On October 3, Mission delivered Ref A demarche to GOI contacts. We urged the GOI to vote against Serbia's proposed UNGA resolution referring the question of Kosovo's independence to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for an advisory opinion. GOI officials promised to consider USG views as Indonesia decided how it would vote on the resolution. The only reason that we can see that the GOI might be in any way be sympathetic to the Serbian effort is because of its longstanding opposition to any form of separatism. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) Pol/C delivered Ref A demarche to Tri Sukma (Nanu) Djandam, a foreign affairs advisor in the President's Office, on October 3. Poloff also presented USG views on the matter to officials at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU). ¶3. (C) Mission underlined USG opposition to the Serbian proposal. Pol/C underscored that referring the question of Kosovo's independence to the ICJ would inject a potentially destabilizing element of instability into the Balkans. He noted that nearly 50 countries had already recognized Kosovo and explained that Kosovo had taken a responsible position in seeking good relations with all its neighbors, including Serbia. Pol/C urged Indonesia to join the United States and our European partners in rejecting the Serbian UNGA resolution calling for an ICJ opinion on the matter. It is vital not to raise false hopes that somehow the Court can or will reverse the fact of Kosovo's independence. ¶4. (C) GOI officials took our points on board. They promised to consider the USG position as Indonesia decided how it would vote on the resolution. ¶5. (C) The only reason that we can see that the GOI might be in any way be sympathetic to the Serbian effort is because of its longstanding opposition to any form of separatism. Indeed, for this reason, the Indonesian government has so far failed to recognize Kosovo's independence. That said, the arguments that the referral is completely unnecessary and could undercut stability are strong, and we are sure that the GOI will carefully consider this as it decides how to vote. HUME