MALAYSIA LOOKS TO SENEGAL TO INVITE KOSOVO FOR OIC

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUALA LUMPUR 000142 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR NEA/RA, EUR/SCE, AF/W AND EAP/MTS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2018 TAGS: PREL OIC KVIR SG MY SUBJECT: MALAYSIA LOOKS TO SENEGAL TO INVITE KOSOVO FOR OIC SUMMIT REF: A. STATE 20646 - ELICITING INVITE TO OIC SUMMIT ¶B. KUALA LUMPUR 121 - TIMING OF RECOGNITION STILL AN ISSUE ¶C. KUALA LUMPUR 111 - MALAYSIA WELCOMES KOSOVO INDEPENDENCE Classified By: Political Section Chief Mark D. Clark, reason 1.4 (b and d). ¶1. (C) The Malaysian Foreign Ministry's OIC envoy, Ambassador Ibrahim Abdullah, told Political Section Chief on February 29 that Senegal as the host should invite Kosovo to the March OIC summit in Dakar, responding to ref A demarche. Given that some OIC members did not support Kosovo's independence, an invitation from Senegal would be the most practical way forward for involving Kosovo at the summit, Ibrahim commented. At the least, Kosovo could be included as a guest, which would allow attendance at the opening and closing ceremonies, and presence at the event for the purpose of networking. Polchief urged Malaysia to use its position as OIC Chair to encourage Senegal to extend the invitation. Ibrahim did not commit Malaysia to any specific action. ¶2. (C) Comment: We interpreted Ambassador Ibrahim's willingness to discuss practical approaches to this question as an indication of Malaysia's support for Kosovo's attendance at the OIC summit. This would be in line with Malaysia's public position welcoming Kosovo's independence (refs B and C). If it engages, Malaysia likely would do so quietly behind the scenes and without necessarily informing us. KEITH