LISBON SEEKS LOW PROFILE ON RUSSIA, GEORGIA, AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L LISBON 002301 C O R R E C T E D COPY- CAPTION ADDED SIPDIS, NOFORN E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS KV RS PO SUBJECT: LISBON SEEKS LOW PROFILE ON RUSSIA, GEORGIA, AND KOSOVO REF: A. STATE 91894 ¶B. STATE 91908 ¶C. LISBON 1976 Classified By: DEPUTY P-E COUNSELOR TROY FITRELL, REASONS 1.4 (B,D) ¶1. (C/NF) Summary. Post delivered ref demarches on Russia/Georgia and Kosovo/ICJ. Portugal does not want a public role in condemning Russia over the conflict in Georgia. The Portuguese are hoping for a lessening of current rhetoric in order to put greater emphasis on the Six Point Plan. Separately, Portugal has not developed a position on Serbia's call for an ICJ ruling on Kosovar independence, but hopes for a common EU position. Portugal's own recognition of Kosovo was promised for the first week of September. End summary. ¶2. (C/NF) Portuguese MFA Director for European Affairs Liliana Mascarenhas Neto told us August 28 that while the Government of Portugal (GOP) is indeed concerned about Russian activity in Georgia and opposes Russian recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia (Ref A),the GOP does not wish to take a leading or public role. The GOP issued a statement -- in Portuguese only -- noting that the GOP supports the EU declaration on the subject and stated that Georgia's territorial sovereignty has been recognized by the UN, EU, and OSCE. ¶3. (C/NF) Mascarenhas said the GOP's efforts were behind establishing EU solidarity on the issue. She voiced frustration that certain member state representatives followed the signature of the Six Point Plan with immediate trips to the region where they made statements not covered by the plan. Mascarenhas said the GOP believed there was little to gain through assigning blame publicly, even though they knew full well who caused the situation to erupt. She continued that lessening the rhetoric was the only way to make the Six Point Plan work. ¶4. (C/NF) Mascarenhas said the GOP was still developing a bilateral pledge for humanitarian assistance to Georgia in addition to its contributions to a broader EU package. She said the GOP had no plans to contribute troops to an OSCE mission, but that they were discussing the contribution of technical staff. ¶5. (C/NF) Regarding Serbia's call for an International Court of Justice (ICJ) review of Kosovo's declaration of independence (Ref B),Mascarenhas said the GOP does not yet have a position, but noted that the EU would try to develop a common position. She said the GOP's own recognition of Kosovo was still in process. Mascarenhas very carefully specified that the GOP did not draw parallels between recognizing Kosovo and Abkhazia/South Ossetia; indeed, she termed the Russian recognition of the latter regions, "hypocritical." Comment -------------- ¶6. (C/NF) Foreign Minister Amado told Ambassador Stephenson August 7 that Portugal was preparing to recognize Kosovo in the first week of September (Ref C). We are pressing the GOP to get this done in time for Secretary Rice's visit September 4-5. The Portuguese have been skittish on Kosovo and the Georgia conflict is one more issue that might make them extend their decision-making process, which was earlier postponed by Russian, Spanish, Kosovar, and Serbian elections. STEPHENSON