PORTUGAL: LATEST KOSOVO RECOGNITION TARGET DATE IS

C O N F I D E N T I A L LISBON 002630

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/19/2018
TAGS: PREL UNGA UN KV PO
SUBJECT: PORTUGAL: LATEST KOSOVO RECOGNITION TARGET DATE IS
OCTOBER 7

REF: LISBON 02628

Classified By: AMBASSADOR THOMAS STEPHENSON FOR REASONS 1.4 (b, d)

SUMMARY
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1. (C/NF) In an October 3 meeting Portuguese MFA Director
General for Foreign Policy Nuno Brito said he "hopes"
Portugal will formally recognize Kosovo on October 7, and
that President Cavaco Silva told Serbian President Tadic it
is time for Portugal to move on regarding the issue. Brito
related that Cuba is weighing moves toward more openness but
is awaiting the new U.S. administration, and the Ambassador
responded that it is a mistake to delay action as there will
likely be no major shifts in U.S. foreign policy based on the
election outcome. Brito also said he is not aware of any new
GALP Energia overtures for business with Iran, and that the
EU is trying to get Iran to move on the nuclear issue. End
summary.

KOSOVO RECOGNITION...AGAIN...
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2. (C/NF) Ambassador Stephenson opened the hour-long October
3 meeting with MFA Director General for Foreign Policy Nuno
Brito with the U.S. position re the Serbian resolution in the
International Court of Justice. After Brito's reply (that
Portugal will abstain with the rest of the EU, septel) he
went on to say he "hopes" the GOP will recognize Kosovo after
the October 7 session of Parliament's Foreign Affairs
Committee. Brito warned that some on the committee will
oppose recognition but all necessary consultations with
President Cavaco Silva and the political parties will have
been completed before the session. Brito said during his
recent visit to New York President Cavaco Silva told Serbian
President Tadic it is time for Portugal to move beyond the
recognition issue.

SOME HOPE FOR CUBA, BUT NO NEWS ON IRAN
--------------

3. (C/NF) Brito then described a recent conversation
between FM Amado and Cuban FM Felipe Perez Roque in which
Amado urged Cuba to undertake democratic reforms. Brito said
Roque joked that Cuba could hardly begin to move toward
democracy when the U.S. had just begun to nationalize the
financial sector, but Cuba will decide on a course of action
after the U.S. presidential election. The Ambassador
commented it is a mistake for Cuba or other nations to delay
addressing issues with the U.S. because U.S. foreign policy
is not likely to change substantially based on the election
outcome.


4. (C/NF) The Ambassador asked Brito if major GALP Energia
investor Americo Amorim was "behaving himself" regarding
prospective dealings with Iran. Brito replied that he had no
new information and said while Portugal and the EU were
"trying to get Iran to move" on the nuclear issue, some in
the EU "are not on the same page" as the U.S.

COMMENT
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5. (C/NF) At this point we will believe in Portuguese
recognition of Kosovo when we see it, but it is refreshing
for the MFA to say Kosovo recognition will be used to temper
Serbian hopes in the International Court of Justice. End
Comment.
STEPHENSON