RECOGNITION OF KOSOVO'S INDEPENDENCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L NAIROBI 001030

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM KE
SUBJECT: RECOGNITION OF KOSOVO'S INDEPENDENCE

REF: A. NAIROBI 518


B. SECSTATE 16319

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Pamela Slutz, reasons
1.4 (b,d).


1. (U) On April 16, POLOFF met with Ambassador Daniel Mukiri
Kinyanjui, Head of Division for International Organizations
and Conferences at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to follow
up on reftel demarche.


2. (C) Kinyanjui said that the Government of Kenya has no
precedent for the formal recognition of another country's
independence, but relations with Kosovo (or any other state)
would be de facto formalized should a country be accepted as
a member state in the United Nations or other international
organization.


3. (C) Kinyanjui added that he needed to do some research
into the manner in which states are formally recognized by
the United Nations -- particularly when the case is
controversial -- as he is sure Kenya will need to take a
position on Kosovo's potential admission into the UN
eventually.


4. (C) POLOFF reiterated the U.S. concern about the
precariousness of Kosovo's security situation should an
insufficient number of states formally recognize its
independence. Kinyanjui acknowledged the difficulty, but
indicated that Kenya is not ready to step forward to
recognize Kosovo's independence.
RANNEBERGER