Cablegate: Lobbying New Zealand On Kosovo Independence

VZCZCXRO6439
OO RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHWL #0044 0440525
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 130525Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5059
INFO RUEHXP/ALL NATO POST COLLECTIVE
RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0073
RUEHPS/USOFFICE PRISTINA 0002
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0118
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 0022

C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000044

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2023
TAGS: PGOV PREL NZ UN YI EU UNMIK
SUBJECT: LOBBYING NEW ZEALAND ON KOSOVO INDEPENDENCE

REF: STATE 13716

Classified By: DCM DAVID J. KEEGAN, EMBASSY WELLINGTON. REASONS 1.4 (B)
AND (D).

1. (C) DCM presented the demarche reftel to Caroline
Forsyth, MFAT Deputy Secretary for Multilateral and Global
Affairs, on February 12. She responded that New Zealand has
been following developments in Kosovo closely. GNZ has a
long-standing established practice of not making declarations
of recognition, but it rather allows that to be inferred from
its actions. She said that she expected the GNZ would do the
same in this case.

2. (C) DCM urged that New Zealand consider some public
statement in support of Kosovo's declaration of independence,
perhaps in the form of a press release from the Foreign
Minister. Forsyth promised to discuss the matter with others
in the Ministry and get back to post.
MCCORMICK

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