Cablegate: Singapore Still Unconvinced On Kosovo Independence

VZCZCXRO9048
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHGP #0749 1850918
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 030918Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5497
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2815
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 5915
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 6448
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0044
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS SINGAPORE 000749

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR KOSOVO DESK OFFICERS SEIJI T SHIRATORI OR WILLIAM
TONLYANOVICH

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV UN UNMIK YI EU KPKO KV SN
SUBJECT: SINGAPORE STILL UNCONVINCED ON KOSOVO INDEPENDENCE

REF: A. STATE 69691
B. SINGAPORE 195

1. (SBU) Responding to reftel demarche, MFA Europe
Directorate Director Lawrence Anderson told us July 1 that
Singapore understood the points we had presented on the
developing situation in Kosovo but thought that recognition
remained a "complex" issue. He indicated Singapore is among
"many countries" that are "not entirely convinced" and are
waiting to assess what "kind of precedent" Kosovo's
unilateral declaration of independence would set. Anderson
cited China, Russia, Spain, Greece, Indonesia and Vietnam as
among countries that have expressed concerns over the
declaration. He expressed hope for continued international
mediation to find a solution acceptable to all parties.

2. (SBU) Regarding participation in the EU-sponsored donors
conference in Brussels, Anderson recalled that Singapore had
already told us it did not plan to participate (ref B) and
said it had not changed its position.

Visit Embassy Singapore's Classified website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/singapore/ind ex.cfm
HERBOLD

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