VZCZCXRO5853
RR RUEHAG RUEHROV
DE RUEHHE #0061 0431150
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 121150Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4062
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHPS/USOFFICE PRISTINA 0043

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000061 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2018 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM EUN FI
SUBJECT: FEBRUARY GAERC: FINNS SUPPORT COMMON PLATFORM FOR 
RAPID RECOGNITION OF KOSOVO'S INDEPENDENCE 
 
REF: HELSINKI 56 
 
Classified By: POLCHIEF GREG THOME FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) 
 
¶1. (U) PolChief delivered the Department's GAERC talking 
points to Finnish European Correspondent Leena-Kaisa Mikkola 
Feb. 12. Not surprisingly, Mikkola said that Kosovo will 
dominate the ministers' agenda. 
 
¶2. (C) The EU still hoped to establish a "common platform" 
for member states' speedy recognition of an independent 
Kosovo, Mikkola said; nationally, Finland will fully support 
this initiative.  Mikkola was optimistic that EU negotiators 
could produce a common platform text, even in the potentially 
very short interval that might be available between a Feb. 17 
declaration of independence and the Feb. 18 start of the 
GAERC.  However, she was pessimistic about the possible 
Cypriot reaction, noting that Cyprus remains "very 
suspicious" of the common platform, "to the point that they 
will probably block consensus" on anything but the most 
watered down text. 
 
¶3. (C) OMIK: Regarding OMIK, Mikkola (who had accompanied 
FM/CiO Ilkka Kanerva to Pristina and Belgrade Feb. 5-6 -- see 
reftel) said there is growing optimism that a restructured 
OSCE Mission in Kosovo may be able to return in the months 
following the independence declaration.  She said that 
Kanerva, in particular, was inclined to view some of Serb FM 
Jeremic's comments as favorable toward such a return. 
HYATT