MOROCCO NOT YET READY TO RECOGNIZE KOSOVO

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000384 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/MAG, EUR/SCE, EEB/OMA, EEB/ODF E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2019 TAGS: PREL ECON EFIN KV MO SUBJECT: MOROCCO NOT YET READY TO RECOGNIZE KOSOVO REF: A. STATE 41665 ¶B. STATE 43679 ¶C. RABAT 321 Classified By: PolCouns Craig Karp for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) "For the moment, Morocco does not intend to recognize Kosovo," newly-appointed Director of Bilateral Affairs responsible for Europe, Abdellah Zagour, told PolCouns and Poloff on May 5 (his earliest available meeting). He described the GOM's position as moderate, explaining that Morocco is waiting for a majority of the fifty-seven Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) member states to recognize Kosovo before it would seriously review such a step. "We are not against an independent Kosovo," he stated, continuing that Morocco must consider Kosovo recognition through the lens of its concerns in the Western Sahara. ¶2. (SBU) On the specific question of voting on Kosovo's IMF and World Bank membership, Moroccan officials in the Central Bank (Bank al-Maghrib) tell us that Morocco has not reached a final decision of how to vote on the issue, and appears unlikely to do so before voting closes on May 5. Discussion about the issue continues among Finance, Foreign Affairs, and the Bank. We reiterated our hope that Morocco would at least participate in the process so that it achieves a quorum. If a decision is made by that deadline, Bank officials said they would communicate it to us. ***************************************** Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Moro cco ***************************************** Jackson