THAILAND STILL NOT READY TO RECOGNIZE KOSOVO

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 000377 SIPDIS EUR FOR SHIRATORI, TOMLYANOVICH E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV TH SUBJECT: THAILAND STILL NOT READY TO RECOGNIZE KOSOVO REF: STATE 11928 Classified By: POL Counselor George Kent, reason 1.5 (b,d) ¶1. (SBU) We engaged Pachuen Phornmongkol, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Director of Central and Eastern Europe, on reftel's request for recognition of Kosovo February 12. Pachuen explained that Thailand was not yet prepared to move forward. The RTG had two main concerns: Thailand felt it would be difficult to recognize Kosovo in light of its own ongoing separatist conflict in the South, and the need to justify such a move to its domestic audience/parliament. However, Thailand would be more willing to recognize Kosovo once the United Nations (UN) accepted Kosovo as a member. ¶2. (C) Comment: Pachuen's comment about Thai willingness to reconsider recognition once Kosovo becomes a UN member is a new wrinkle in Thai thinking, and a small step forward. The concern about its own majority Muslim southern region with a separatist movement will continue to weigh heavily in Thai thinking, however. We do not recommend pushing the Thai hard on this issue. JOHN