JORDAN INCHES TOWARDS RECOGNIZING KOSOVO

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 001364 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/16/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV KV ID TT JO SUBJECT: JORDAN INCHES TOWARDS RECOGNIZING KOSOVO Classified By: Ambassador R. Stephen Beecroft for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) The Ambassador again urged Jordan to recognize Kosovo during meetings with PM Nader Dahabi, FM Nasser Judeh, and Royal Court Chief Nasser Al-Lozi in recent conversations. All three reiterated the point that recognition was "only a matter of time" and hinted that it would likely occur in July. The MFA sent a decision memo to the PM about Kosovo recognition on June 14. ¶2. (C) According to contacts in the MFA, the memo outlines two scenarios for recognition. The first is complete, formal recognition and the dispatch of an Ambassador to Pristina. The second option presented to the PM stops short of formal recognition and provides instead for a conscious process of increased high level contacts and engagement in international forums. MFA officials explained that Jordan pursued the second option with East Timor in an effort to join the international consensus without angering Indonesia, a fellow Muslim state and ally. It is unclear whether the memo suggested one particular scenario or another. ¶3. (C) The Ambassador will follow up with the PM, Chief of the Royal Court, and FM directly to try to ensure that Jordan formally recognizes Kosovo unequivocally and without qualification. Beecroft