Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ROME104
2008-01-24 12:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rome
Cable title:
KOSOVO: ITALIANS MAY NOT SEEK TO DELAY COORDINATED
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000104
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV SR KV
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: ITALIANS MAY NOT SEEK TO DELAY COORDINATED
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
REF: A) ROME 94 B) ROME 71
Classified By: Jonathan R. Cohen, Acting Political Minister Counselor,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000104
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV SR KV
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: ITALIANS MAY NOT SEEK TO DELAY COORDINATED
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
REF: A) ROME 94 B) ROME 71
Classified By: Jonathan R. Cohen, Acting Political Minister Counselor,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) The GOI is backing away from a Spanish-inspired push
to postpone Kosovo's declaration of independence from
February to Mid-March, after the Spanish elections. On
January 15, FM D'Alema told the Ambassador that the GOI
preferred a go-slow approach to avoid interfering in the
Spanish elections and to give the EU more time to bring the
largest number of countries into the first wave of those who
would recognize immediately (Ref B). PM Prodi's senior
diplomatic advisor Stefano Sannino reiterated that point to
the Ambassador the following day.
2. (C) However, on January 24, Raimondo De Cardona, Head of
the MFA Balkans Office, told
poloff that although Italy would have preferred a March
declaration, it had failed to convince other European members
of the Quint to support a delay (a British POLOFF
confirmed the GOI had made a case for postponement to the
UK). Additionally, current Italian government instability
meant that FM D'Alema could not argue forcefully in favor of
postponement, since there was a possibility that he would not
be around to implement that policy.
3. (C) De Cardona noted that one positive outcome of Italy,s
current domestic political situation would be that
parliamentary opposition to Italian recognition of Kosovo's
independence would likely be muted, as political parties
would be focused almost exclusively on the government
crisis.
SPOGLI
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV SR KV
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: ITALIANS MAY NOT SEEK TO DELAY COORDINATED
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
REF: A) ROME 94 B) ROME 71
Classified By: Jonathan R. Cohen, Acting Political Minister Counselor,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) The GOI is backing away from a Spanish-inspired push
to postpone Kosovo's declaration of independence from
February to Mid-March, after the Spanish elections. On
January 15, FM D'Alema told the Ambassador that the GOI
preferred a go-slow approach to avoid interfering in the
Spanish elections and to give the EU more time to bring the
largest number of countries into the first wave of those who
would recognize immediately (Ref B). PM Prodi's senior
diplomatic advisor Stefano Sannino reiterated that point to
the Ambassador the following day.
2. (C) However, on January 24, Raimondo De Cardona, Head of
the MFA Balkans Office, told
poloff that although Italy would have preferred a March
declaration, it had failed to convince other European members
of the Quint to support a delay (a British POLOFF
confirmed the GOI had made a case for postponement to the
UK). Additionally, current Italian government instability
meant that FM D'Alema could not argue forcefully in favor of
postponement, since there was a possibility that he would not
be around to implement that policy.
3. (C) De Cardona noted that one positive outcome of Italy,s
current domestic political situation would be that
parliamentary opposition to Italian recognition of Kosovo's
independence would likely be muted, as political parties
would be focused almost exclusively on the government
crisis.
SPOGLI