ENGAGING CARICOM STATES ON KOSOVO RECOGNITION

UNCLAS STATE 073869 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KV SUBJECT: ENGAGING CARICOM STATES ON KOSOVO RECOGNITION REF: STATE 29385 ¶1. (SBU) This is an action request for posts in CARICOM member states. See paragraph 2. Objectives -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Sixty-two countries have now recognized Kosovo. It is a high U.S. priority to obtain new recognitions to strengthen Kosovo,s international position, especially ahead of UNGA and before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) hears oral arguments in December on Serbia,s request for an advisory opinion on Kosovo,s declaration of independence. Thanks to posts, effective lobbying, many CARICOM countries joined the overwhelming vote in favor of Kosovo membership in the IMF and World Bank in June. Also, the United States Congress has shown continued interest in this issue; most recently three senior Members of Congress wrote to a number of Latin American Presidents and Prime Ministers urging Kosovo recognition, including to the following CARICOM members: Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. On July 11, the Dominican Republic recognized Kosovo, the second Caribbean state (after Belize) to do so. Jordan recognized a few days earlier. Building on this new momentum, Department requests that, at the highest appropriate level, posts urge CARICOM states to recognize Kosovo now. Posts may, at their discretion, coordinate this approach with British, French, and/or German counterparts. REPORTING DEADLINE -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Embassies are requested to report results of efforts by front channel cable before July 31. BACKGROUND AND SUGGESTED POINTS -------------- ¶4. (U) Posts can draw from the following points: --- Kosovo is a high priority for the United States. Its full development as a peaceful, multiethnic, democratic and independent state is a critical element in the international community's long-standing efforts to bring stability to the Balkans region. --- Sixty-two countries have recognized Kosovo, including the vast majority of the EU, NATO and Kosovo's neighbors, and all the G-7 members. The Dominican Republic was the most recent country to recognize Kosovo. Kosovo joined the IMF and the World Bank on June 29, having received positive affirmative votes for their candidacies from an overwhelming majority of the International Financial Institutions members across the world, including in Latin America and the Caribbean. --- As Kosovo's political and diplomatic situation has stabilized and strengthened, the Government of Kosovo has begun to focus intensively on economic development. --- The UN mission in Kosovo has significantly downsized, and the EU has deployed a rule of law mission to assist Kosovo,s police and judicial institutions. --- IF RAISED: Last fall, the UNGA adopted a Serbian-sponsored resolution seeking an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the narrow question of the legality of the manner in which Kosovo declared independence. We are confident that Kosovo,s case for independence is strong, but the fact that the ICJ process is ongoing does not in any way bar new recognitions. A number of states have recognized Kosovo since the question was referred, including the Dominican Republic, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. POINT OF CONTACT -------------- ¶5. (SBU) For a list of countries that have recognized Kosovo see the following SIPRnet website http://www.state.sgov.gov/s/crs/ index.cfm?fuseaction=public.display&shortcut= I9B9. Please contact Kosovo Desk Officers Seiji Shiratori at 202-647-7729 or Marianne Toussaint at 202-647-9173 for additional information. ¶6. (U) Minimize considered. CLINTON