FOREIGN MINISTER BERNIER ON KOSOVO

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000251 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/19/2018 TAGS: PREL KV YI EU CA SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER BERNIER ON KOSOVO REF: OTTAWA 246 Classified By: PolMinCouns Scott Bellard, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) The Ambassador reached Canadian Foreign Minister Bernier by phone in Colombia (the FM is on a Latin America visit). Saying he had been asked by the Secretary to call, Ambassador strongly urged Canada to join the U.S. and its other allies in recognizing Kosovo's independence. Minister Bernier stated that Canada's government had decided not to be in the first wave of countries and is still considering its position. Canada may be in the "second wave" or the "third wave," but the FM said no decision has been made at this point. ¶2. (C) Bernier told the Ambassador that Quebec and its separatist movement are the hindrance for Canada. He recognizes that Kosovo and Quebec are completely different situations, but the government must tread carefully on anything touching Quebec separatism -- especially with the possibility of an early federal election. (Note: Parti Quebecois politicians have been publicly asserting that early acceptance of Kosovo's independence declaration is, in fact, a precedent for an independent Quebec. End note) Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada WILKINS