P 301452Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1874
INFO AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY PRISTINA PRIORITY 
USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 000778 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2019 
TAGS: ODIP PREL KVPR NZ KV UK
SUBJECT: KOSOVO CHARGE IN LONDON REPORTS HIS ACCREDITATION 
TO NEW ZEALAND ON TRACK 
 
REF: STATE 27328 
 
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Greg Berry for reasons 1.4 
(B) and (D). 
 
 ¶1. (C) The New Zealand Foreign Ministry has communicated to 
the Kosovo Foreign Ministry its acceptance "in principle" for 
the Kosovo Charge in London, Muhamet Hamiti, to be jointly 
accredited to New Zealand, Hamiti informed Political Minister 
Counselor on March 26.  Hamiti, who shared a copy of a March 
24 letter sent from Wellington to the Kosovo Foreign Ministry 
on the issue (text of letter at para. 5), said that what 
remained to be worked out were "the practicalities" of his 
dual accreditation, but he believed the process is on track. 
He expects, assuming the remaining steps are completed on 
schedule, to travel to New Zealand to formally present his 
credentials sometime in April.  Hamiti did note that the 
Kosovo Foreign Minister is traveling over the next few weeks 
to New York and Prague, which may slow down how fast the 
Kosovo Ministry can resolve the final details.   He did not 
believe any U.S. facilitation with either the New Zealand or 
Kosovo governments was needed at this time, but said he would 
contact Embassy London if there were unforeseen roadblocks. 
 
¶2.  (C) Polcounselor spoke with his counterpart at the New 
Zealand High Commission in London on March 27, Jake Collins. 
Collins reported that Wellington had instructed the High 
Commission to not engage directly on the issue or contact 
Hamiti, as Wellington preferred to deal with the Kosovo 
Foreign Ministry directly and through the Ministry with 
Hamiti as necessary.  Against that background, Collins said 
he understood that Wellington was moving forward with the 
proposal and had a good line of communication with the 
Kosovars.  He did not know about the March 24 letter sent to 
the Kosovo Foreign Ministry agreeing in principle to the dual 
accreditation.  According to Collins, some of the initial 
reluctance to the proposal from his government had been over 
the accreditation of a Charge, rather than a sitting 
Ambassador, to Wellington.  Collins suggested that some of 
the practicalities that needed to be worked out related to 
this issue. 
 
Hamiti Pressing Other Diplomats on Recognition 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶3.  (C) Hamiti struck poloffs as an energetic diplomat, with 
an excellent command of English, if a little verbose. During 
his first four months in London, he said he had met with over 
40 of his diplomatic counterparts from countries that have 
not yet recognized Kosovo.  In his own view, the key to 
achieving recognition from other states would be for a few 
key governments -- such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan -- to 
announce their recognition of Kosovar independence.  Hamiti 
said many of Middle Eastern diplomats in London tell him that 
their governments are looking for movement on recognition 
from Riyadh or Islamabad to pave the way for their own 
government's action.  Hamiti said Spain's recent decision to 
pull its troops out of KFOR was "disappointing" and suggested 
it was a step backward in terms of moving Madrid forward in 
relations with Kosovo.  In contrast, he said the recently 
announced drawdown of UK forces from KFOR was handled 
satisfactorily, after full consultation with NATO 
headquarters. 
 
¶4. (C) Hamiti's immediate focus is moving the last five EU 
holdouts on recognition forward as he believes having all the 
European nations in the recognition column would send a 
strong signal to the International Court of Justice -- "its a 
European question and we could point out that all of Europe 
is united in recognizing our independence."  He thought 
obtaining Greece's recognition was the most possible, as well 
as that of Cyprus, among the holdouts. 
 
Text of March 24 Letter from New Zealand Foreign Ministry 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
¶5. (SBU) Begin text: 
 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade 
195 Lambton Quay 
Wellington 5045, New Zealand 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade presents its 
compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kosovo, and 
has the honour to refer to the letter from the Minister of 
Foreign Affairs, Kosovo, dated 23 January 2009 to the 
Minister of Foreign Affairs, New Zealand, proposing the 
establishment of diplomatic and consular relations between 
New Zealand and the Republic of Kosovo on the basis of terms 
set out in the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and Consular 
Relations. 
 
The Ministry has been instructed by the Minister of Foreign 
Affairs to respond through standard diplomatic channels by 
means of this note. 
 
New Zealand is receptive in principle to the accreditation by 
the Kosovo of a suitable person in accordance with diplomatic 
protocol.  The Ministry notes that some aspects of the 
specific proposal to accredit the Charg d, Affairs a.e. of 
the Republic of Kosovo in the UK to New Zealand require 
further clarification. 
 
The Ministry, consistent with earlier advice, notes that 
arrangements for such accreditation should be handled in 
correspondence with Mr George Troup, Director, Europe 
Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand. 
 
The email address for Mr. Troup is George.troup@mfat.govt.nz. 
Mr. Troup will be making direct contact with the designated 
officials of Kosovo in order to discuss the matters referred 
to in the previous paragraph. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
and Trade takes this opportunity to renew to the Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs, Kosovo the assurances of its highest 
consideration. 
 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade 
Wellington 
 
24 March 2009 
 
End text. 
 
Visit London's Classified Website: 
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Unit ed_Kingdom 
 
LEBARON