U.S. disappointed with Kosovo for poor lobbying; limited recognition

As U.S.-backed Kosovo declared independence on 17 Feb 2008, locals celebrated in the streets with American and Albanian flags

PRISTINA (Tiraspol Times) - According to TV and newspapers reports in Pristina, the U.S. State Department is roiled by the delay in getting widespread international recognition of Kosovo and frustrated that only 20% of the world's countries have so far signed up.

More than three months after Kosovo unilaterally declared itself to be an independent country, only a fifth of the world's countries have so far recognized it. Four-fifths are either on the fence or have publicly declared that they will not recognize U.S.-supported Kosovo as a state, alongside a number of states for whom the issue simply holds no significance either way.

The lack of widespread recognition of Kosovo's independence is becoming an increasingly serious problem for its main backer, the United States of America.

Pristina-based KTV, a television station which first broke the story, reports that U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary Rosemary DiCarlo strongly criticized the Kosovo government for failure to lobby the international community effectively. Speaking privately, she reportedly told leaders of the breakaway province that her country, the United States of America, was disappointed and worried about the small number of countries that have recognized Kosovo's independence, attributing this fact to insufficient lobbying efforts by the Kosovars.

Miffed: Kosovo press reports cite statements by the U.S. State Department's Rosemary DiCarlo who is said to have expressed frustration privately over Kosovo's failure to get widespread diplomatic recognition.

"Raise Ahtisaari," U.S. says

The U.S. State Department's Rosemary DiCarlo told Kosovo that the United States is unsatisfied with the work of the Kosovo’s institutions in the lobbying process. Now, the Americans told the Kosovo government that it should seek help from Finnish diplomat Martti Ahtisaari and his assistant Albert Rohan in the lobbying efforts. The two worked until last year on a failed plan trying to get Serbia to agree to giving up Kosovo.

In her visit to Pristina, the diplomat was reported by TV Station Kohavision as saying that Washington is unhappy with Pristina's failure to secure recognition of independence by 97 countries. This number, 97, was needed for having Kosovo apply for admission in the United Nations at this year's UN General Assembly.

DiCarlo is understood to have said during a recent visit to Kosovo that "part of the joint plan between the United States and Kosovo was to achieve 97 recognitions by September."

" - After that, Kosovo was supposed to apply for a membership of the UN General Assembly," an unnamed source told Television Kosovo. According to the source, that plan might fall through owing to the relatively small number of countries that have recognized Kosovo and the inefficiency of the Kosovo government, writes Pristina daily Koha Ditore.

Officially the United States denies the claim of criticism, which was voiced by Rosemary DiCarlo privately and "off the record." But news outlets in Pristina, including KTV which first reported on the issue, are sticking to their reports and have confirmed that the news is factually based on information from sources close to the meeting which Rosemary DiCarlo had with the leadership of Kosovo.

41 out of ~200

To date, only 41 countries have extended recognition to Kosovo out of some 200 in the world. The United Nations, which most but not all countries are members of, has 192 member states. Since the U.N. was founded, the number of countries in the world has grown rapidly. On average one new country has created each year.

Kosovo will face an uphill battle for U.N. membership, with both Russia and China expected to veto any application. Serbia, which does not agree to letting Kosovo go its own way, has also vowed to take the battle to the United Nations. It is preparing a resolution against independence and wants to put it to a vote at the next UN General Assembly. With only one-fifth of the world supporting Kosovo so far, it is likely that Serbia's viewpoint will carry the day.

Kosovo is home to the largest U.S. military base in Europe, known as Camp Bondsteel, and the United States will not let its base fall under Serbia's jurisdiction.

Kosovo's conundrum and lower than expected recognition-tally would be welcomed by Pridnestrovie, however. The PMR government has not yet begun its long-awaited active campaign of lobbying for international recognition despite having functioned as an independent state for almost 18 years.

Pridnestrovie's 'de facto' independence is recognized by two other states in similar situations, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. It is still not recognized internationally by any members of the United Nations. (With information from B92, FoNet, Macedonia Online, Focus News Agency)

See also:
» Kosovo lack of sovereignty puts recognition in doubt
» Kosovo not a precedent for Transnistria, country's Foreign Ministry says
» Kosovo-based diplomat: Transnistria has more reasons for independence than Kosovo