Cablegate: Egypt Will Not Recognize Kosovo

VZCZCXRO3882
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHGI RUEHJS RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHPW RUEHROV
DE RUEHEG #0579 0851350
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 251350Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8635
INFO RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0026
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0197

UNCLAS CAIRO 000579

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

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

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNMIK EG KV YI
SUBJECT: EGYPT WILL NOT RECOGNIZE KOSOVO

REF: A. CAIRO 325
B. CAIRO 246

Sensitive but unclassified, not for Internet distribution.

(SBU) In an apparent change from Egypt's previous position
that it was "waiting and seeing" on whether to recognize
Kosovo (reftels), it appears that the GOE now firmly opposes
recognition. According to local press March 24, Assistant
Foreign Minister for European Affairs Fatima El Zahra told
Egyptian parliamentarians that Egypt supports "independent
rule" for Kosovo (read: autonomy within a greater Serbia) but
not complete independence. MFA Spokesman Hossam Zaki
confirmed to A/DCM on March 24 unequivocally that Egypt will
not recognize Kosovo. "We have no plans to recognize
Kosovo," he said, and "there is no change in our position."
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