RFG: FRIENDS OF KOSOVO MEETING

C O N F I D E N T I A L USNATO 000246 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/2018 TAGS: NATO PGOV PREL KV MOPS SUBJECT: RFG: FRIENDS OF KOSOVO MEETING REF: A. USNATO 00229 Classified By: CDA Richard G. Olson, Jr. for reasons 1.4 (b and d) ¶1. (U) This is a request for guidance by COB Thursday, July ¶17. ¶2. (C) On Friday, July 18 Belgium will host the first meeting of the Friends of Kosovo (see Ref A),a gathering of NATO Permanent Representatives, PSC Ambassadors, and representatives from the United Nations, OSCE, Non-NATO troop contributors, and Non-EU troop contributors, in an informal setting in order to get around some of the theological difficulties of NATO-EU cooperation on Kosovo. Although there will be no formal agenda, discussion is expected to focus on better coordination of international actors operating in Kosovo, with a particular emphasis on the EULEX mission as UNMIK begins its reconfiguration process. Turkey has already rejected any discussion that deals with fixing the revision 3 of the NATO Balkans OPLAN 10501, however, USNATO views this meeting as a good first step which could serve as a basis toward facilitating future NATO-EU discussion on Kosovo. USNATO requests guidance for the Friends of Kosovo meeting on our objectives and other themes and messages that we could deliver to participants, including sensitizing the Turks on being open to future meetings between NATO and the EU on Kosovo. OLSON