BOLIVIA TO ABSTAIN ON KOSOVO WORLD BANK MEMBERSHIP

C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 000812 SIPDIS EEB/IFD/ODF FOR MTOUSSAINT E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/03/2019 TAGS: ECON EFIN KVIR PREL BL SUBJECT: BOLIVIA TO ABSTAIN ON KOSOVO WORLD BANK MEMBERSHIP REF: A. STATE 54943 ¶B. LA PAZ 497 ¶C. LA PAZ 89 ¶D. 08 LA PAZ 2307 ¶E. 08 LA PAZ 1942 Classified By: A/EcoPol Chief Joe Relk for reasons 1.4 (b)(d) ¶1. (C) Per reftel a instructions, Post did not deliver reftel point to Bolivian Government as doing so would be counterproductive at this time. The Bolivian government used former Ambassador Goldberg's past experience working on Balkan issues as "proof" he was conspiring against the Morales Administration. Any USG approach on the issue would only serve to undermine our objectives. See reftels b-e for additional background. ¶2. (C) Post did, however, engage with World Bank staff in La Paz, who told us the chair/vote Bolivia shares with other countries would formally abstain on the vote for Kosovo's World Bank membership. URS