C O N F I D E N T I A L MONTEVIDEO 000076
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2018
TAGS: PREL UN UNMIK YI UY
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: EARLY RECOGNITION UNLIKELY
REF: A. MONTEVIDEO 68
¶B. MONTEVIDEO 18
¶C. STATE 1087
¶D. STATE 13716
Classified By: Charge D'Affaires Peter X. Harding
for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)
¶1. (C) The MFA's Americas Office Director Laura Dupuy told
A/POL Chief that Uruguay would be unlikely to make a quick
decision to recognize Kosovo, especially in light of the
current transition at MFA before the new Foreign Minister
takes the helm on March 1 (ref A). If Kosovo declares
independence prior to March 1, the outgoing anti-American FM
Gargano would technically retain authority to decide
Uruguay's reaction, she said. Dupuy expected that internal
reshuffling and uncertainty at the MFA, and Uruguay's already
limited focus on Kosovo (ref B), would make quick recognition
by Uruguay unlikely. She also acknowledged that other
countries had weighed in against early recognition of Kosovo.
These countries raised concern over precedence and that
recognition could motivate break-away regions in countries
such as Spain to seek greater autonomy.
Harding