MACEDONIA TO RECOGNIZE KOSOVO OCTOBER 9

C O N F I D E N T I A L SKOPJE 000616

SIPDIS

BELGRADE PLEASE ALSO PASS PODGORICA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/07/2018
TAGS: PREL UNGA UN KV MK MT
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA TO RECOGNIZE KOSOVO OCTOBER 9

REF: A. STATE 105796

B. STATE 195796

C. STATE 91908

D. SKOPJE 614

Classified By: AMBASSADOR PHILIP REEKER FOR REASONS 1.5 (b) and (d).


1. (SBU) Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki informed
Ambassador Reeker that Macedonia expects to formally
recognize Kosovo in a joint announcement with Montenegro
tomorrow (Oct 9). Milososki said there would be a session of
Parliament beginning 1100 Oct 9, to discuss/recommend
recognition; the parliamentary resolution would be submitted
to the government by mid-afternoon; the government would then
act on the resolution and announce recognition by early
evening. PM Gruevski confirmed this in a subsequent telcon
with the Ambassador.


2. (C) ICJ Resolution: On Oct. 8, FM Milososki and MFA
Director Paskal Stojcevski informed us of Macedonia's plan to
vote in favor of the ICJ resolution in UNGA in separate
discussions with Ambassador Reeker and DCM Navratil, in spite
of previous assurances that Macedonia would abstain (REFTEL-
SKOPJE 614). The MFA justified this decision as a means to
soften reactions from Belgrade, stating this was only a
procedural matter and that Macedonia's vote would not be the
deciding factor. The FM indicated they were under
considerable pressure from Belgrade and feared repercussions.
The Ambassador warned FM Milososki and PM Gruevski of the
potentially damaging consequences of this decision and
strongly urged them to reconsider. They heeded his advice
and returned to their previous position, assuring the
Ambassador, again, that Macedonia would abstain from the vote.


3. (SBU) Demarcation: Macedonia and Kosovo demarcation
commission representatives met with ICO in Skopje on Oct. 7
to document agreements and discuss outstanding issues, the
most significant of which entails private property owned by
Kosovo citizens that falls on the Macedonian side of the
line. According to GOM demarcation head Todor Nanev, the
total area affected is 65 hectares. The commission discussed
various approaches to resolving this in a sustainable way,
and the ICO together with the Kosovo demarcation commission
plans to visit the area in coming days to discuss options
(e.g., selling, swapping, etc.) with the landowners. Late
that night, Prime Minister Gruevski contacted Ambassador
Reeker to request U.S. assistance. He made a similar plea to
the Ambassador Oct. 8 but indicated he will proceed as
planned with Kosovo recognition on the 9th. While specifying
how the GOM proposes to resolve the issue, Gruevski asked
that the US (through Embassy Pristina) urge that a Kosovo
government representative visit Kodra Fura, ideally Thursday
while the GOM proceeds with recognition. According to
Gruevski, with personal engagement "the Kosovo Government
could resolve the issue within 2-3 hours. Nanev will meet
with the DCM Oct. 9 to discuss the issue further.
Reeker