KOSOVO -- SERBIAN FM PRESSES FOR INDONESIAN SUPPORT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000635 SIPDIS SIPDIS EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EUR, EUR/SCE, IO, IO/UNP NSC FOR E.PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2018 TAGS: PREL ETRD ID YI KV SUBJECT: KOSOVO -- SERBIAN FM PRESSES FOR INDONESIAN SUPPORT REF: JAKARTA 448 AND PREVIOUS JAKARTA 00000635 001.6 OF 002 Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4 (b+d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Serbian FM Jeremic visited Jakarta to seek Indonesian support for Belgrade's stance re Kosovo, March 27-28. FM Wirajuda pledged Indonesian support for an UNGA resolution calling for an International Court of Justice advisory opinion on the legality of the independence declaration. They also signed an agreement to promote bilateral trade. Jeremic's appeal is unlikely to alter Indonesia's official ambivalence on Kosovo. Mission continues to press the GOI on the matter. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) Serbian FM Vuk Jeremic visited Indonesia March 27-28 to press for Indonesian support on Kosovo. He met with FM Hassan Wirajuda and with members of the Indonesian legislature (DPR) led by DPR Speaker Agung Laksono. DISCUSSING KOSOVO ¶3. (U) FM Jeremic called on Indonesia to support Serbia's proposed UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution calling for the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to issue an advisory opinion on the legality of Kosovo's declaration of independence. For his Indonesian audience, he also stressed that--although the majority of Kosovars were Muslim--the dispute between Belgrade and Pristina was purely political, not religious. ¶4. (U) FM Wirajuda said Indonesia urged all parties involved in the Kosovo dispute to settle their differences through dialogue. He also promised that Indonesia would support the UNGA resolution calling for an ICJ opinion. He gave no indication that Indonesia planned to recognize Kosovo as an independent state any time soon, though he did not specifically back Serbian assertions on the matter either. PRESSING TRADE ¶5. (U) The two ministers also signed an agreement to form a bilateral commission charged with increasing trade and investment ties between the two nations. At this point, trade between the two countries is quite limited. A PROBLEM FAR FROM HOME ¶6. (C) Jeremic's visit was basically Kosovo-centric and an effort to freeze Indonesia's basically neutral position on the matter. As part of this effort, we understand that the Serbian Ambassador has been traveling around Indonesia, underscoring Serbia's position re Kosovo. Pol/C was told that the Ambassador, for example, had recently shown up at the Museum for the Asia-Africa Summit in Bandung to extoll the Non-Aligned Movement and Tito's friendship with Sukarno (the 1955 conference remains dear to Indonesian hearts). ¶7. (C) As flagged, Indonesia has not recognized Kosovo's independence, nor has it made any explicit statements opposing it. Indonesian officials tell us they worry that international recognition of Kosovo's independence will embolden separatist movements in parts of Indonesia. While some Indonesian Muslim groups have voiced some support for Kosovo, nationalist legislators would likely criticize any Indonesian support for the U.S. and its allies' position on the matter. The GOI is unlikely to take any risks on an issue considered a bit remote. Mission continues to press the GOI on the matter. JAKARTA 00000635 002.6 OF 002 HUME