Cablegate: Finland: Views to Resolve Kosovo Status

VZCZCXYZ0005
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHHE #0878 3471310
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 131310Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3955
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 0042
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0084
RUEHPS/USOFFICE PRISTINA 0040

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000878

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV YI FI
SUBJECT: FINLAND: VIEWS TO RESOLVE KOSOVO STATUS

REF: STATE 165486

Classified By: PolChief Greg Thome for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)

1. (C) PolChief delivered subject demarche to Finnish MFA
Balkans Office Director Juha Ottman. Ottman said that the
GoF fully shares US views on nearly all points, including the
need to return to full implementation of the Ahtisaari
proposals in the likely event that Kosovo's final status
cannot be resolved at the UN Security Council. Finland will
join the US and a preponderance of EU member states in
recognizing an independent Kosovo in the event of a
unilateral declaration of independence.

2. (C) Ottman highlighted three problematic issues that have
arisen in the EU's internal discussions and emphasized that
the GoF supports none of them. These include (1) a call from
certain MS for extending the Troika-led negotiating period;
(2) arguments from some that recognizing a Kosovar
declaration of independence could have a destabilizing effect
in Bosnia or elsewhere; and (3) calls by some for the ESDP
Mission in Kosovo to proceed even while the final status
question remains unresolved. Finland shares none of these
views. In particular, Ottman emphasized, final status must
be resolved in order for the ESDP and the ICO missions to
have any hope of success. Finland also views UNSCR 1244 as
providing sufficient authority for a international presence
even after a declaration of independence.

3. (C) Ottman did mention that the EU is likely to urge
Pristina not to unilaterally declare independence prior to
the Serb presidential elections Feb. 3. Initially Finland
was suspicious of this approach, aware that it would have to
be handled with enormous care in order to avoid creating any
gray areas for Belgrade to further exploit. However, Ottman
said, the EU has concluded that if any Serb manipulation
beyond the Feb. 3 date appears evident, the EU will simply
"give Pristina the green light." Based on this, Finland will
not block consensus on this point.

WARE

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