VZCZCXRO2740
PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHLI #2200/01 2410628
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 290628Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY LISBON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6180
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LISBON 002200 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS TO EUR/WE KEVIN OPSTRUP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2017 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PBTS EUN NATO PO KV SR
SUBJECT: PORTUGAL: SPECIAL ENVOY ON KOSOVO DISCUSSES GOP 
EFFORTS TO BUILD EU CONSENSUS 
 
REF: BRUSSELS 02687 
 
Classified By: Pol/Econ Officer Tiffany McGriff for Reasons 1.4 (B and 
D) 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (C) Antonio Tanger Correa, Portugal's Special Envoy to the 
Western Balkans, discussed the GOP's efforts to build EU 
consensus on Kosovo and the impact that the situation could 
have on internal EU and transatlantic relations. He stressed 
that the GOP is doing everything within its powers to find a 
realistic solution by the December 10 deadline, but 
acknowledged that there is a slim chance the Slovenian 
Presidency may inherit the issue.  The GOP MFA, which offered 
to have Tanger Correa brief the Charge, obviously intended 
the meeting to demonstrate its energetic commitment to 
achieving EU consensus on moving forward in Kosovo. END 
SUMMARY 
 
PORTUGAL'S INSIDE MAN 
--------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) On August 27, Charge met with Portugal's Special Envoy 
to the Western Balkans Ambassador Antonio Tanger Correa who 
had just returned to Lisbon for consultations from a 
fact-finding mission in the Balkans. The two discussed the 
GOP's consensus-building efforts and the future of Kosovo. 
While not an official member of the Contact Group, Tanger 
Correa acts as the GOP's inside man on Kosovo, meeting with 
officials in the region and reporting to Lisbon. His role is 
vital to helping the GOP craft its approach to the Kosovo 
issue. 
 
¶3. (C) Tanger Correa, a seasoned diplomat familiar with the 
key issues and players in the Balkans (he is a former 
ambassador to Belgrade) and a confidant of Foreign Minister 
Luis Amado, painted a picture of tireless GOP engagement in 
building EU consensus, in finding a solution to Kosovo by 
December 10, and in developing a common game plan for what to 
do if and when Kosovo decides, against advice, to declare 
unilateral independence.  He said that part of Portugal's 
message to its fellow member states is that "We need to solve 
this problem now, because Kosovo is not worth damaging the 
EU, and Kosovo is not worth damaging transatlantic relations." 
 
¶4. (C) The meeting was arranged by the MFA's Director of 
European Affairs Liliana Araujo, who during an August 23 
debrief on FM Amado's recent trip to Serbia and Kosovo, 
suggested that the Charge meet Tanger Correa to gain deeper 
insight into the GOP's consensus-building efforts in the 
region. 
 
CONSENSUS BUILDING IS A DIFFICULT ROAD TO NAVIGATE 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶5. (C) While acknowledging that some states will need more 
convincing than others, Tanger Correa stated that the 
Portuguese believe the process is moving forward but cannot 
guarantee that a consensus will be reached by December 10. 
 
¶6. (C) Tanger Correa described consensus building as "a 
difficult road to navigate" complicated by "political 
influences" and the varying positions of 27 EU member states. 
He also affirmed that "Portugal is doing everything that it 
can within this time period, but that there's a slim chance 
that we will not achieve consensus." 
 
SOLVING THE PROBLEM VS MANAGING THE PROBLEM 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (C) Tanger Correa said that there were two main obstacles 
to achieving EU consensus on Kosovo and beginning to "solve 
the problem rather than manage the problem."  The first is 
the "legal issue."  The EU needs to agree on steps to take in 
the event of a unilateral declaration of independence -- and 
more specifically, whether UNSCR 1244 in fact permits 
independence for Kosovo and continued EU involvement on the 
ground after such a declaration.  He said that a team of 
experts would meet beginning August 30 to begin to hash that 
out.  More important, however, was to resolve the "political 
issues."  Portugal's constant refrain to its partners was 
that the EU had to get serious about finding the political 
will to develop a consensus approach and stick to it. 
 
SERBIA'S BRIGHT IDEA...VIRTUAL INDEPENDENCE 
------------------------------------------- 
 
 
LISBON 00002200  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶8. (C) Tanger Correa noted that Belgrade shared with the GOP 
a solution that it planned to present. This idea, known as 
the 10-Year Plan, envisions a confederation-like agreement -- 
somewhat similar to the Montenegro example -- that would 
grant Kosovo certain privileges like a separate army and 
virtual independence over a ten-year time frame. Tanger 
Correa said he did not know if Serbia planned to make public 
its plan, but stated that the GOS wanted to present it 
face-to-face to the Kosovars. Tanger Correa, though not 
surprised by Belgrade's plan, was dismissive of the proposal 
because he thought the Kosovars would never accept it. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶10. (C) Tanger Correa, an affable, confident soul, presented 
himself as Portugal's energetic problem-solver and inside man 
on Kosovo. It was obvious that he was aware of our concerns 
over his role. His comments were peppered with name-dropping 
about American diplomats he had worked with over the years, 
perhaps in an effort to clarify his bona fides. It is clear 
that he is highly committed to solving the Kosovo issue, yet 
less clear if his commitment and motivation will make a 
difference. His message, however, was a simple 
straightforward one, and one that he knew we wanted to hear: 
The GOP, under FM Amado's strong leadership, is sparing no 
effort to push the EU for consensus and is not stalling in 
the hope of passing the Kosovo hot potato to Slovenia. 
Ballard