VZCZCXRO9646
OO RUEHAG RUEHROV
DE RUEHLE #0040 0461515
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 151515Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY LUXEMBOURG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6214
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES  IMMEDIATE
RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE IMMEDIATE 0036
RUEHPS/USOFFICE PRISTINA IMMEDIATE 0038
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE IMMEDIATE 0041
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0143

C O N F I D E N T I A L LUXEMBOURG 000040 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT PASS TO SEIJI SHIRATORI, EUR/SCE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2018 
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNMIK UN YI EU KDEM LU
SUBJECT: LUXEMBOURG TO QUICKLY SIGNAL INTENT TO RECOGNIZE 
KOSOVO'S INDEPENDENCE 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission, Steven H. Kraft, for reasons 1. 
4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (C)  Ambassador spoke with Foreign Minister Jean 
Asselborn on 15 February regarding Kosovo's pending 
declaration of independence.  Asselborn asserted that 
Luxembourg will announce on the evening of Monday, 18 
February, its intention to recognize Kosovo's declaration of 
independence, expected to come on Sunday, 17 February. 
Citing procedural and parliamentary delays, Asselborn said 
Luxembourg's formal recognition of Kosovo's independence 
would occur on Friday, 22 February.  Asselborn stressed that 
the delay in formal recognition would be purely procedural 
and should not be taken as any indication of hesitancy on 
Luxembourg's part to recognize. 
 
¶2.  (C)  Asselborn also told Ambassador that he would engage 
in a round of press interviews Monday evening, 18 February, 
immediately following the EU GAERC meeting for Foreign 
Ministers in Brussels.  He said he would strongly convey 
Luxembourg's intention to recognize Kosovo's independence at 
that time. 
 
¶3.  (C)  Asselborn informed the Ambassador that the Foreign 
Ministers still plan to seek a unified statement on Kosovo. 
Asselborn said, however, that both Cyprus and Spain will 
"constructively abstain" from any EU statement on Kosovo's 
independence.  Asselborn indicated he was directly involved 
with the Spanish during negotiations, and that due to the 
proximity of Spain's domestic elections, they just would not 
be able to pull the trigger on recognition.  Asselborn did 
not specifically address any other member states' intentions. 
WAGNER