PORTUGAL'S PARTICIPATION IN EULEX (C-RE8-01061)

C O N F I D E N T I A L LISBON 002658 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/19/2018 TAGS: PINR PGOV PREL EUN KV PO SUBJECT: PORTUGAL'S PARTICIPATION IN EULEX (C-RE8-01061) REF: A. LISBON 2634 ¶B. STATE 60548 Classified By: DEPUTY POL/ECON COUNSELOR TROY FITRELL FOR REASONS 1.4 ( b, d) ¶1. (C) Following Portugal's recent recognition of Kosovo (Ref A),Portuguese MFA Deputy Director for Security and Defense Luis Leandro da Silva told us that they fully support the EU Mission. He further noted that, although not every EU member state recognizes Kosovo, the EU has achieved consensus on the European Union Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) in Kosovo. For that reason, Portugal defers to the European Union institutions that administer EULEX, in which Portugal participates, for policy decisions on EULEX's operations and mandate (requested Ref B). ¶2. (C) Regarding Portugal's specific contributions, da Silva said Portugal currently has two police officers serving in the EULEX mission and has presented an additional 20 candidates to the Council Secretariat for various mission vacancies. Regarding financial contributions, da Silva reminded us that it is financed by the Common Foreign and Security Policy line item of the EU common budget, the costs being shared by all member states divided according to the Gross Domestic Product key. STEPHENSON