VZCZCXYZ1040
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSJ #0186 0671437
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 071437Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9507
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0775
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 0027

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000186 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN, IO/UNP AND EUR/SCE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL UNAUS UNMIK PGOV YI EU CS
SUBJECT: COSTA RICA RECOGNIZES KOSOVO 
 
REF: A. STATE 16271 
 
     ¶B. STATE 16319 
     ¶C. SAN JOSE-WHA/CEN EMAIL DATED 2/18/08 
 
 ¶1. (U) For the record, and further to refs, Post has 
reconfirmed that the GOCR not only recognized Kosovo, but is 
keen to be credited for being one of the very first nations 
to do so. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On Mar 4 we met with Alejandro Solano-Ortiz, Deputy 
Director of the Foreign Policy Section of the MFA and Randolf 
Coto, Coordinator of the Foreign Policy Section of the MFA to 
verify Kosovo's recognition by the GOCR. Solano-Ortiz 
indicated that the GOCR had recognized the new republic of 
Kosovo almost immediately upon Kosovo's February 17 
declaration of independence.  Coto proudly added that Costa 
Rica was first among the developing and third world countries 
to recognize Kosovo, and went further to point out that 
Afghanistan's claim of being the first was due only to the 
time difference between San Jose and Kabul. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Privately, FonMin Bruno Stagno (to Charge) and his 
COS Antonio Alarcon (to ADCM) have reiterated that the GOCR 
has recognized the newly-independent Kosovo. Stagno has also 
explained as much during recent interviews, including with 
CNN Espanol. 
BRENNAN