NORWEGIANS SEE SERBS WITH NO GOOD SOLUTIONS ON ICJ

C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 000485 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/29/2018 TAGS: PREL UN UNGA KV NO SUBJECT: NORWEGIANS SEE SERBS WITH NO GOOD SOLUTIONS ON ICJ REFERRAL FROM UNGA REF: STATE 91908 Classified By: DCM Kevin Johnson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Poloff delivered reftel points to Nils Kamsvaag, MFA Deputy Director General for Western Balkan Affairs. Kamsvaag said no decision had been made yet regarding where Norway would stand on the advisory opinion, but demonstrated great interest in our statement that there is ample UNGA precedent for rejecting the request. Speaking relatively frankly, Kamsvaag said that he agreed with our reasons for seeking to avoid an ICJ opinion, but there was a tension between the practical consequences (which would be bad) and Norway's general philosophy of legitimating international institutions whenever possible. Kamsvaag said the ultimate decision whether to reject the request for an advisory opinion would come after an internal recommendation from the MFA legal department, but admitted to poloff that the legal department would not be blind to the political considerations. ¶2. (C) Kamsaag mentioned that he had been visited by the Sebian ambassador on this issue. Kamsvaag said thatin his opinion the Serbs had not at all thought hrough this process, since even if a clear opinin (either way) were obtained by the ICJ, it wouldnot advance anyone's interests, as the politicalfacts on the ground (recognition) are not going to change. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: It was poloff's impression from the conversation that the MFA legal department will ultimately conclude that the advisory opinion request can be rejected, and Norway will side with the US on this issue. End Comment. WHITNEY