Cablegate: Egypt Considering Kosovo Recognition, Solidarity

VZCZCXYZ2828
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #0439 0651414
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 051414Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8427
INFO RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE
RUEHPS/USOFFICE PRISTINA 0062
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 0004
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0025

UNCLAS CAIRO 000439

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR KOSOVO MONITORING GROUP, NEA/ELA, EUR/SCE
(BLACK)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL UNSC EAID KISL PGOV EG KV YI
SUBJECT: EGYPT CONSIDERING KOSOVO RECOGNITION, SOLIDARITY
AT OIC SUMMIT

REF: A. SECSTATE 22377

B. SECSTATE 18802
C. CAIRO 325

Sensitive but unclassified, not for Internet distribution.

(SBU) We delivered refs A and B demarches to MFA Deputy
Director for East and South Europe and the Balkans, Ahmed
Hamdy Bakr, on March 5, urging Egypt to support welcoming
Kosovo's independence at the upcoming OIC summit, reiterating
requests for Egypt to recognize Kosovo's independence (ref
C), and raising potential financial support from Egypt at the
June Kosovo donors conference. Bakr replied that the GOE is
still in the evaluation stage on recognizing Kosovo, noting
that so far most of Kosovo's neighbors have not yet
recognized its independence. Bakr said he would forward our
request for Egypt to support a statement in the OIC
communiqu welcoming Kosovo's independence to Foreign
Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit. Bakr had no substantive response
on donor assistance at this time, as the GOE has not yet
decided to recognize Kosovo's independence.
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