JAMAICA: UNABLE TO RECOGNIZE KOSOVO'S PROSPECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINGSTON 000094

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT PASS CENTRAL AMERICAN CARIBBEAN BASIN COLLECTIVE FOR INFO

DEPT FOR EUR/SCE (JOSHUA BLACK) WHA/CAR (JOE TILGHMAN)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/29/2018
TAGS: PREL UNAUS UNMIK PGOV YI EU JM
SUBJECT: JAMAICA: UNABLE TO RECOGNIZE KOSOVO'S PROSPECTIVE
INDEPENDENCE

REF: A. STATE 1087 (041949Z JAN 08)

B. KINGSTON 25 (091322Z JAN 08)(NOTAL)

Classified By: DCM James T. Heg, Reasons 1.5 (B) and (D)

1.(C) The Government of Jamaica (GoJ)'s Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and Foreign Trade (MFAT) has faxed the following
letter dated January 28 adressed from Permanent Secretary
Ambassador Douglas Saunders to the Ambassador:

(begin text of MFAFT Permanent Secretary's letter of January
28)

" I write in response to communication dated 7th January 2008
from Mr. James Heg, Deputy Chief of Mission in your Embassy,
regarding the future status of Kosovo. You indicated that
the Government of the United States intends to recognize
Kosovo when the authorities in Pristina declares (sic)
independence and requested that the Government of Jamaica
take similar action.

The Government of Jamaica regrets that, after years of
diplomatic effort, the final status of Kosovo has not been
resolved by negotiated settlement between Serbia and Kosovo
and that substantial differences remain between the parties.

Whilst fully supporting the right to self determination,
Jamaica is mindful of the fact that Security Council
Resolution 1244 of 1999, which authorized the international
civil and military presence in Kosovo and placed it under
interim United Nations administration, also preserved formal
Serbian sovereignty over Kosovo. In this regard, Jamaica
would be compelled to view a unilateral declaration of
independence as a contravention of international law and a
violation of the Security Council mandate. Under these
circumstances, and in the absence of universal recognition of
statehood by the United Nations, the Government of Jamaica
would not be able to recognize Kosovo's independence.

Jamaica would therefore urge that the international community
support continued negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina
with the aim of arriving at a mutually acceptable solution on
the final status of Kosovo in accordance with international
law and the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United
Nations.

Best wishes.

Yours sincerely,
/s/
Douglas Saunders
Permanent Secretary "

(end text of MFAFT Permanent Secretary's letter of January 28)


JOHNSON