LUXEMBOURG TO QUICKLY SIGNAL INTENT TO RECOGNIZE

C O N F I D E N T I A L LUXEMBOURG 000040 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT PASS TO SEIJI SHIRATORI, EUR/SCE E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV UNMIK UN YI EU KDEM LU SUBJECT: LUXEMBOURG TO QUICKLY SIGNAL INTENT TO RECOGNIZE KOSOVO'S INDEPENDENCE Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission, Steven H. Kraft, for reasons 1. 4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Ambassador spoke with Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn on 15 February regarding Kosovo's pending declaration of independence. Asselborn asserted that Luxembourg will announce on the evening of Monday, 18 February, its intention to recognize Kosovo's declaration of independence, expected to come on Sunday, 17 February. Citing procedural and parliamentary delays, Asselborn said Luxembourg's formal recognition of Kosovo's independence would occur on Friday, 22 February. Asselborn stressed that the delay in formal recognition would be purely procedural and should not be taken as any indication of hesitancy on Luxembourg's part to recognize. ¶2. (C) Asselborn also told Ambassador that he would engage in a round of press interviews Monday evening, 18 February, immediately following the EU GAERC meeting for Foreign Ministers in Brussels. He said he would strongly convey Luxembourg's intention to recognize Kosovo's independence at that time. ¶3. (C) Asselborn informed the Ambassador that the Foreign Ministers still plan to seek a unified statement on Kosovo. Asselborn said, however, that both Cyprus and Spain will "constructively abstain" from any EU statement on Kosovo's independence. Asselborn indicated he was directly involved with the Spanish during negotiations, and that due to the proximity of Spain's domestic elections, they just would not be able to pull the trigger on recognition. Asselborn did not specifically address any other member states' intentions. WAGNER