POLAND'S RESPONSE: KOSOVO PARTICIPATION IN RCC

C O N F I D E N T I A L WARSAW 000550 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/SCE E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID ECON PL KV SUBJECT: POLAND'S RESPONSE: KOSOVO PARTICIPATION IN RCC REF: STATE 55320 Classified By: ECON SECTION CHIEF M. SESSUMS FOR REASONS 1.4(b,d) ¶1. (C) On June 1, the Ambassador delivered reftel demarche to Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Andrzej Kremer. On June 2, Kosovo desk officer Grzegorz Szopinski responded to EconOff that the Poles had considered the U.S. position, and decided that they would be represented at the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) meeting by the MFA's Director for South Central Europe, Adam Halacinski, who will travel from Warsaw to Chisinau. Halacinski will probably make a statement regretting Kosovo's absence. The Poles are open to coordinating a common statement expressing dissatisfaction with like-minded countries. Szopinski stated the Poles believe a statement would be more "visible" than absenting themselves,that theirs will be a more productive approach, that they think progress in the RCC will still be possible, and that they do not want to punish other western Balkan states attending the RCC, such as Serbia or Montenegro. Szopinski also stated the Poles were hopeful that a compromise permitting Kosovo's attendance could be worked out, but he was unaware of any plans for the Poles to engage with Moldova diplomatically on this matter. ASHE