CAMBODIA REMAINS NONCOMMITTAL ON KOSOVO

UNCLAS PHNOM PENH 000098 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/SCE AND FOR EAP/MLS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL AORC ICJ CB SUBJECT: CAMBODIA REMAINS NONCOMMITTAL ON KOSOVO REF: A. STATE 11928 ¶B. 08 PHNOM PENH 0556 ¶1. (SBU) Acting DCM called on Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary of State Ouch Borith Feb. 12 and reviewed Ref A talking points in detail. Ouch Borith reiterated an earlier MFA statement that Kosovo is a sensitive issue which they are studying carefully (Ref B). He went on to question, "if Kosovo is recognized, what about South Ossetia?" A/DCM elaborated on the long process which Kosovo has gone through to reach independence, including efforts to protect its Serbian minority population. However, A/DCM's statement that there is no time like the present to recognize Kosovo's independence was met with silence. RODLEY