VZCZCXYZ0004
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHHE #0381 1431341
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 231341Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3380
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 0031
RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN 1118
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 4777
RUEHPS/USOFFICE PRISTINA 0032

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000381 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/23/2017 
TAGS: PREL PGOV YI FI
SUBJECT: FINNS PESSIMISTIC ABOUT RUSSIAN RESPONSE TO UNSCR 
ON KOSOVO 
 
REF: STATE 64975 
 
Classified By: PolChief Greg Thome, Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Finland firmly supports UN Special Envoy 
Ahtisaari's proposals for Kosovo's final status and welcomes 
the draft UNSCR that the US circulated May 11.  However, the 
Finns continue to pick up signals that leave them pessimistic 
about how Russia will respond.  The GOF is engaged in its own 
quiet diplomacy to shore up EU unity on Kosovo, and will host 
President Tadic in Helsinki June 2.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (C) In a follow-up to subject demarche, PolChief discussed 
the latest actions in the UNSC on Kosovo and the draft 
resolution that was circulated May 11 with Finnish MFA 
Balkans Office Director Juha Ottman.  Finland remains 
staunchly supportive of UN Special Envoy (and former Finnish 
President) Martti Ahtisaari's proposals, including his 
recommendations on independence for Kosovo.  Finland welcomed 
the draft UNSCR that the US and European UNSC members had 
circulated May 11, and was particularly pleased with the 
draft's endorsement of the Ahtisaari Settlement.   (Germany 
had shared the UNSCR draft with Finland.) 
 
¶3. (C) While the GOF remains fully supportive, it is growing 
increasingly pessimistic about how Russia will respond. 
According to Ottman, Germany told EU partners following the 
EU-Russia Summit that the GOR had "warned that the EU is 
being way too optimistic" about independence for Kosovo, 
which remains an absolute red line for Moscow.  In bilateral 
conversations, the Russians have suggested that they may seek 
a UNSCR that does little more than disband the UNMIK Mission 
and replace it with the EU.  Russia would be "perfectly happy 
to just rewrite UNSCR 1244, removing the word 'UNMIK' and 
putting in 'EU'," Ottman reported.  From Finland's national 
perspective, any watered-down resolution that stops short of 
"fully endorsing" Ahtisaari's proposals would be 
"unacceptable," not least because it would put the EU Rule of 
Law mission in an "untenable" position. 
 
¶4. (C) Despite Russia's hard line, the GOF continues to play 
a quiet leadership role to try to shore up EU unity behind 
Ahtisaari and our UNSCR draft.  In addition, Ottman noted 
that President Tadic will visit Helsinki June 2 for talks 
with President Tarja Halonen, FM Ilkka Kanerva and Finnish EU 
Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn.  The excuse for the 
visit is a soccer match between Finland and Serbia, but Rehn 
and the GOF will use the opportunity to address Kosovo, ICTY 
cooperation and the range of related issues. 
HYATT