KOSOVO -- ENCOURAGING INDONESIAN RECOGNITION

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 000741 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, EUR, EUR/SCE, IO (SHIRATORI AND PFEUFFER) E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/28/2019 TAGS: PREL PBTS ID KV OICCO SUBJECT: KOSOVO -- ENCOURAGING INDONESIAN RECOGNITION REF: STATE 41665 Classified By: Pol/C Joseph L. Novak, reasons 1.4(b+d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Mission has encouraged Indonesia to recognize Kosovo and support the country's bid for membership in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank. We noted that an increasing number of countries have now recognized Kosovo--most recently Saudi Arabia--and that Indonesia should do the same. The GOI continues to review the matter. Other embassies have also raised Kosovo recognition with the GOI, receiving the same response. END SUMMARY. URGING RECOGNITION ¶2. (C) Mission has reiterated U.S. support for Kosovo recognition. Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Cicilia Rusdiharini, Deputy Director for American Affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs, on April 28. He noted that an increasing number of countries, including members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC),had recognized Kosovo. Saudi Arabia, for example, had done so on April 20. Doing so did not set any precedent for separatist regions in other parts of the world. Poloff underscored that recognizing Kosovo would help bring stability to the Balkans. (Note: The question of a Kosovo precedent is particularly sensitive for Indonesia given separatist sentiments in regions like Aceh and Papua.) ¶3. (C) Poloff also urged Indonesia to support Kosovo's bid to join the IMF and the World Bank. The Kosovo government was focusing its attention on economic development and providing benefits to its people. Membership in the IMF and World Bank would provide critical support to that effort. The United States hoped Indonesia would join us in supporting Kosovo's membership in these key institutions. GOI STILL CONSIDERING ¶4. (U) Rusdiharini took our points on board and said Indonesia was still reviewing the matter. ¶5. (C) DEPLU interlocutors had previously told us that recognizing Kosovo was a sensitive political decision given Indonesia's own separatist issues. They had advised that Indonesia would not likely make a decision on this matter until after this year's presidential election was over. (Note: The first round of voting will be in July. If needed, a runoff would occur in September.) OTHER MISSIONS ENGAGED ¶6. (C) A number of European diplomatic missions are also pressing the GOI on this matter. Contacts at the British and German Embassies told us they have received the same basic message from their Indonesian interlocutors. HUME