VZCZCXYZ0005
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHHE #0878 3471310
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 131310Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3955
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 0042
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0084
RUEHPS/USOFFICE PRISTINA 0040

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000878 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2017 
TAGS: PREL PGOV YI FI
SUBJECT: FINLAND: VIEWS TO RESOLVE KOSOVO STATUS 
 
REF: STATE 165486 
 
Classified By: PolChief Greg Thome for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d) 
 
 ¶1. (C) PolChief delivered subject demarche to Finnish MFA 
Balkans Office Director Juha Ottman.  Ottman said that the 
GoF fully shares US views on nearly all points, including the 
need to return to full implementation of the Ahtisaari 
proposals in the likely event that Kosovo's final status 
cannot be resolved at the UN Security Council.  Finland will 
join the US and a preponderance of EU member states in 
recognizing an independent Kosovo in the event of a 
unilateral declaration of independence. 
 
¶2. (C) Ottman highlighted three problematic issues that have 
arisen in the EU's internal discussions and emphasized that 
the GoF supports none of them.  These include (1) a call from 
certain MS for extending the Troika-led negotiating period; 
(2) arguments from some that recognizing a Kosovar 
declaration of independence could have a destabilizing effect 
in Bosnia or elsewhere; and (3) calls by some for the ESDP 
Mission in Kosovo to proceed even while the final status 
question remains unresolved.  Finland shares none of these 
views.  In particular, Ottman emphasized, final status must 
be resolved in order for the ESDP and the ICO missions to 
have any hope of success.  Finland also views UNSCR 1244 as 
providing sufficient authority for a international presence 
even after a declaration of independence. 
 
¶3. (C) Ottman did mention that the EU is likely to urge 
Pristina not to unilaterally declare independence prior to 
the Serb presidential elections Feb. 3.  Initially Finland 
was suspicious of this approach, aware that it would have to 
be handled with enormous care in order to avoid creating any 
gray areas for Belgrade to further exploit.  However, Ottman 
said, the EU has concluded that if any Serb manipulation 
beyond the Feb. 3 date appears evident, the EU will simply 
"give Pristina the green light."  Based on this, Finland will 
not block consensus on this point. 
 
WARE