<p>PRISTINA, Kosovo — Kosovo’s prime minister-designate has found himself in a difficult diplomatic position ahead of taking the post following his country’s diplomatic ties with Israel.</p>
<p>Albin Kurti of the Self-Determination Movement party, or Vetevendosje!, is expected to be Kosovo’s next prime minister after his party won the Feb. 14 parliamentary election.</p>
<p>On Monday, Kurti met with the Turkish ambassador in Pristina, and Kosovo’s decision to open an embassy in Jerusalem was among the topics of discussion.</p>
<p>“The place where the embassy will be located is to be considered following checking of the documentation of the outgoing government,” said a statement issued after the talks.</p>
<p>On Feb. 1, Kosovo established diplomatic ties with Israel and decided to open an embassy in Jerusalem — becoming the first European country and Muslim-majority one to make such plans. It followed the U.S. and Guatemala in doing so. Most countries’ embassies are in Tel Aviv.</p>
<p>Kosovo’s decision was taken when outgoing Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti met with Serb President Aleksandar Vucic at the White House in September with then-President Donald Trump.</p>
<p>Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned Kosovo that the move could damage future relations with his country.</p>
<p>“I believe that it would be beneficial to avoid such a move that would cause great damage to Kosovo,” Erdogan said.</p>
<p>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote that “I attach much importance to Kosovo’s decision to open its embassy in Jerusalem and I look forward to hosting you in Israel for its inauguration.” </p>
<p>The letters sent in February were published by Kurti’s spokesman, Perparim Kryeziu, on his Facebook page as part of congratulations from world leaders on his victory.</p>
<p>Last week, Kosovo sent its ambassador to Israel.</p>
<p>Palestinians claim east Jerusalem, captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed, as the capital of a future state. Most of the international community doesn’t recognize the Israeli annexation of east Jerusalem and says the competing claims to the city should be resolved through negotiations.</p>
<p>Kosovo’s Parliament declared independence from Serbia in 2008, nine years after a U.S.-led 78-day NATO airstrike campaign against Serbia to stop a bloody crackdown against ethnic Albanians — most of whom are Muslim — in Kosovo.</p>
<p>Most Western nations have recognized Kosovo’s independence, but Serbia and its allies Russia and China have not. </p>
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<p>Suzan Fraser contributed to this report from Ankara, Turkey.</p>
