SAUDIS CONSIDER KOSOVO ICJ RESOLUTION AT UNGA

C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 001345 SIPDIS DEPT PASS TO NEA/ARP FOR BMASILKO E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/01/2018 TAGS: PREL SA UNGA KV RU SUBJECT: SAUDIS CONSIDER KOSOVO ICJ RESOLUTION AT UNGA REF: SECSTATE 91908 Classified By: Charge' d'Affaires David Rundell for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Post delivered reftel demarche (Reftel A) to Ambassador Talal al-Malki, temporarily covering European issues in the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Al-Malki responded that he would refer the matter of the proposed Kosovo ICJ resolution to Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal. He told Embassy Poloffs to expect a response in the coming days. ¶2. (C) COMMENT. As reported in Reftel B, the Saudis were moving closer to recognition of Kosovo prior to the recent Russo-Georgian war. The SAG recognizes how sensitive Kosovo recognition is to Russia. We expect the Saudis will probably seek to avoid antagonizing Moscow to the detriment of their own bilateral relationship with them. Saudi Arabia has a large weapons purchase pending with Russia. The Saudis likely view this arms deal as a way to wean Moscow away from Tehran and to maintain a certain amount of influence with a P5 member. Iran remains a much greater Saudi foreign policy priority than Kosovo, which the SAG views solely as a European concern. END COMMENT. RUNDELL