ALBANIANS REPORT SUCCESS IN MOVING DRAFT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 000165

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (UPDATED RI FOR OIC COLLECTIVE)

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/SE (SSHIRATORI),IO (AMORRISON),INFO NEA/ARP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/06/2014
TAGS: EAID KISL OFDP OVIP PREL SA KO XF
SUBJECT: ALBANIANS REPORT SUCCESS IN MOVING DRAFT
RESOLUTION ON KOSOVO THROUGH OIC PREPARATORY MEETING

REF: JEDDAH 0163

JEDDAH 00000165 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Consul General Martin R. Quinn for reasons 1.4(b) and (d
)


1. (C) SUMMARY: At a May 4-6 OIC preparatory meeting in
advance of the upcoming Damascus ministerial conference, the
OIC has passed an Albanian-submitted resolution encouraging
its 57 member states to consider diplomatic and economic ties
with Kosovo. According to the Albanian ambassador, Egypt
worked hard to derail the process after general debate had
finished and copies of the resolution were distributed,
possibly demonstrating pique with the US over Israeli action
in Gaza. While some changes to the language of the draft are
still possible, momentum behind the Kosovo resolution appears
strong and likely to remain intact through the preparatory
meeting and move straight to the OIC in Damascus conference,
May 23-25. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) RESOLUTION ON KOSOVO APPEARS TO HAVE PASSED WITH ONLY
MINOR CHANGES Albanian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Admirim
Banaj, was pleased to report in May 6 telcon that the
resolution submitted by Albania supporting OIC members to
consider establishing diplomatic and economic ties with
Kosovo appears to have passed. The resolution was pushed
through the OIC May 4-6 preparatory in Jeddah in advance of
the May 23-25 ministerial in Damascus. Ambassador Banaj
cautioned that there still is a chance for additional changes
to the resolution (see para 3 and 4 below on Egypt),but the
resolution has moved forward. Banaj noted the one
substantive change: the 2nd part of para 4(which reads "Notes
that OIC member states will decide in accordance with their
own national practice and international law on their
relations on Kosovo") was dropped. The Albanian options for
the communique were not discussed, and Banaj thinks there may
not be a communique emerging from Damascus (reftel).


3. (C) EGYPT THE OBSTACLE: According to Banaj,"the one
obstacle is Egypt." After copies of the approved resolution
were returned from the Secretariat after being translated and
copied, and only at this point, Egypt raised concerns, which
Banaj describes as mere "excuses." He continued: "Egypt tried
to sabotage everything that had been done." The Egyptian
delegation asked for time to go back to Cairo to seek
additional guidance. Banaj pointed to one OIC official as
orchestrating the affair: "I think in one way or another it
is the brain of this Fathallah," referring to OIC Director of
Political Affairs, Egyptian diplomat Mahdi Fathallah.


4. (C) "REVENGE" FOR GAZA: While not perfectly clear on
Egypt's motivations in trying to block the Kosovo resolution,
Banaj personally suspects that Egypt's action may be
"revenge" for the recent hostilities in Gaza, implying that
Egypt holds the US accountable for the Gaza situation and is
opposing the Kosovo resolution in defiance of US recognition
efforts. Banaj feels that the Egyptian delegate's behavior is
typical of an Egyptian government working to obscure the real
issues. The Albanian expressed his personal frustration: "I
was very angry with the Egyptians. I wanted to tell them that
they cannot play games with an issue like this."


5. (C) ALGERIA, AZERBAIJAN FALL IN LINE: Algeria, expected by
the Albanians to pose a significant obstacle to the passage
of the Kosovo resolution, in the end turned out not to put up
a major fight. Algeria apparently requested minor
alterations, but nothing changing the overall tone of the
draft. For their part, the Azerbaijanis initially asked for
time to go back to Baku, but quickly received an OK from
their home government.


6. (C) BROAD SUPPORT, ROLE OF SYRIAN CHAIR CRITICAL: Banaj
singled out the role of the Syrian chairman for pushing the
resolution forward. The Syrian declared that the resolution
had passed in principle, that comments or changes could be

JEDDAH 00000165 002.3 OF 002


considered, but that the resolution itself is moving forward.
He reported wide support among OIC member states: "We found
the atmosphere very positive. It was very smooth the way it
was conducted."


7. (C) DAMASCUS MEETING NOT LIKELY TO CHANGE OUTCOME: The
annual OIC ministerial in Damascus is not likely to change
the outcome of the decision made at the preparatory meeting
according to Banaj, who noted that no votes are likely -- nor
any vetoes -- with the resolutions expected to pass by
consensus and concerned states abstaining. Banaj held open
the possibility that the Egyptians might still "raise the
issue of postponement," but probably will not be able to
marshal any great impact.


8. (C) COMMENT: The ease with which the OIC has been able to
pass a resolution supporting Kosovo among member states, many
of whom still have not recognized the country, may be a sign
of the significant role that Saudi Arabia's recognition of
Kosovo has played in influencing others. Egypt's combative
stance against the Kosovo resolution is apparently not
drawing in much support, even among Arab nations. It may be
encouraging that Syria, a country clearly sharing Egypt's
concerns over Gaza, has not allowed this factor to influence
its view towards Kosovo. The Albanian ambassador's suggestion
that the Egyptians are not being clear about the real reason
for their opposition may make more sense than his own belief
that this is somehow tied to U.S. support for the Israeli
incursion in Gaza. Banaj did not report any effort by the
Iranian delegation to derail the resolution. END COMMENT.
QUINN