BOTSWANA: NONCOMMITTAL ON KOSOVO IFI MEMBERSHIP

C O N F I D E N T I A L GABORONE 000310 SIPDIS STATE FOR EEB/IFD/OMA AND EUR/SCE E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/15/2019 TAGS: PREL EFIN BC KV SUBJECT: BOTSWANA: NONCOMMITTAL ON KOSOVO IFI MEMBERSHIP REF: STATE 33629 Classified By: DCM Philip R. Drouin for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Pol/Econ Chief delivered reftel demarche April 15 to Mr. Nkoloi Nkoloi, Director of the Europe and the Americas Division at Botswana's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Nkoloi said that Botswana has not yet decided whether or not to recognize Kosovo and made no indication of whether or not Botswana would support Kosovo's application to join the IMF and World Bank. He promised to take the USG's request for Botswana's support on this issue under consideration and to pass along the information to other appropriate officers within the GOB. Per reftel instruction, Poloff emphasized that Botswana's vote, even if not in support of the USG position, is extremely important to ensure that quorum is reached. NOLAN