VZCZCXRO8864
OO RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHSW #0104/01 0581617
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 271617Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY BERN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4888
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0181
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 0317

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BERN 000104 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR (A/S FRIED, DAS DICARLO), EUR/SCE (J.BLACK), 
AND EUR/AGS (Y.SAINT-ANDRE) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2018 
TAGS: PREL NATO MARR EU KV SZ
SUBJECT: SWITZERLAND RECOGNIZES KOSOVO'S INDEPENDENCE 
 
REF: A. BERN 68 
 
     ¶B. BERN 81 
     ¶C. STATE 12026 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Peter R. Coneway; reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (U) At 4:00 p.m. (CET) on February 27, Swiss President 
Pascal Couchepin announced that the Swiss Federal Council 
(cabinet) had decided in a meeting earlier in the day to 
recognize the independence of Kosovo and to "establish 
diplomatic and consular relations between the two countries." 
(full text of President Couchepin's statement is provided in 
para 3)  The Federal Council's decision followed GOS 
consultations with the Swiss parliamentary foreign affairs 
committees, February 21-22 (reftel B), and constitutes the 
final step for formal Swiss recognition of Kosovo. 
 
¶2. (C) Following the February 27 Federal Council meeting, and 
prior to President Couchepin's public announcement, MFA State 
Secretary Michael Ambuehl informed Ambassador Coneway of the 
 
SIPDIS 
Federal Council's positive decision, and said that the GOS 
was delaying the public announcement for several hours to 
permit Switzerland to provide notification in diplomatic 
channels to Serbia and to Kosovo.  MFA contacts inform post 
that Ambassador Christian Meuwly, Head of the MFA's European 
Affairs Division, and Jean-Daniel Ruch, Deputy Head of the 
MFA's Human Security Division, will attend the first meeting 
of the International Steering Group on February 28 in Vienna 
(reftel C). 
 
¶3. (U) BEGIN TEXT OF STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT COUCHEPIN: 
 
Today, on the recommendation of the Federal Department of 
Foreign Affairs and following consultations with the Foreign 
Affairs Committees of the Council of States and the National 
Council, the Federal Council decided to recognize Kosovo and 
to establish diplomatic and consular relations between the 
two countries. 
 
The Federal Council took note of the Declaration of 
Independence adopted by the Assembly of Kosovo on 17 February 
2008 and the formal invitation to recognize Kosovo that was 
addressed to the Swiss government by the President and the 
Prime Minister of Kosovo on the same day. 
 
In particular, the Federal Council welcomed the clear 
commitment expressed by the authorities of Kosovo in the two 
above-mentioned documents to respect in full the obligations 
set out in the Comprehensive Proposal for Kosovo Status 
Settlement of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of 
the United Nations for Kosovo, Marti Ahtisaari, especially 
those concerning the protection of minorities and the 
supervision of Kosovo's independence by means of an 
international civilian and military presence. 
 
The Federal Council also noted that the authorities of Kosovo 
intend to cooperate with the NATO military presence, KFOR, on 
the basis resolution 1244/1999 of the United Nations Security 
Council. 
 
In a situation such as this, where emotions run very high and 
there is a conflict of interests, an ideal solution is not 
possible.  Nevertheless the Federal Council considers that 
this new step in the political reconstitution of the region 
to be preferable to any alternative.  In addition, it 
considers that in view of the circumstances of this 
particular case, Switzerland's recognition of the 
independence of Kosovo does not constitute a precedent. 
 
Clarification of the status of Kosovo is a precondition for 
the stability as well as for the economic and political 
development of the whole of the Western Balkans.  The Federal 
Council declares its intention to pursue Switzerland's 
commitment in the region and to take an active part in the 
international efforts both in Kosovo and in the region as a 
whole. 
 
Switzerland has always adopted balanced positions on issues 
concerning the Balkans, taking into account the legitimate 
interests of all parties involved.  The Federal Council 
wished to emphasize that Switzerland's recognition of Kosovo 
goes hand in hand with its desire to develop further its good 
relations with Serbia and to strengthen the very close 
cooperation that exists between Serbia and Switzerland. 
 
BERN 00000104  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
END TEXT OF STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT COUCHEPIN 
CONEWAY