NO SURINAMESE POSITIONS ON GEORGIA, KOSOVO

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARAMARIBO 000377

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

EUR/RUS FOR KATE SZPILA, EUR/KOSOVO DESK FOR SEIJI T.
SHIRATORI AND WILLIAM TOMLYANOVICH, WHA/CAR FOR JACKIE
ROSHOLT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2018
TAGS: PREL GG KV NS
SUBJECT: NO SURINAMESE POSITIONS ON GEORGIA, KOSOVO

REF: A. SECSTATE 93448

B. SECSTATE 91908

C. SECSTATE 91894

D. SECSTATE 90980

E. SECSTATE 90978

F. PARAMARIBO 104

G. PARAMARIBO 56

Classified By: DCM Susan Bell for reason 1.4 (d).


1. (U) On September 9, per reftels A-E, Post delivered
messages to Jerrel Moriah, head of the European Division of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Suriname
(GOS). Moriah said the GOS has no position on the relevant
issues in Georgia or Kosovo at this time, but promised to
forward the messages to Acting Permanent Secretary of Foreign
Affairs Robby Ramlakhan. Moriah said the GOS will "look
carefully" at the issues, which "need to be studied," and
that "time will tell."


2. (C) Moriah, who has headed the Europe desk for the GOS
for ten years, showed unfamiliarity with the issues. He
repeatedly mistook which countries were in which position,
asking twice, "so you don't want us to recognize Georgia?"
He looked at a impromptu map drawn by PolOff to gain a better
understanding of the issues. Regarding Georgia, Moriah said
he could understand the need to speak out against
destabilization by Russia. On Kosovo, he said if the case is
brought to the International Court of Justice, "after this
ruling the thing could be solved." Moriah stressed that
these were his personal opinions.


3. (C) Post has discussed Kosovo extensively with the GOS
at a higher level (refs F-G) and expects the GOS's
non-committal stance to continue, as with many foreign policy
issues.


4. (U) Post will report any further reaction from the GOS.
SCHREIBER HUGHES