US embassy cable - 04BRATISLAVA436

S E C R E T BRATISLAVA 000436 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/27/2014 
TAGS: MARR, MASS, ECON, PGOV, PINR, PREL, LO 
SUBJECT: GUIDANCE REQUESTED ON POSSIBLE SLOVAK ARMS SALES 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: AMB. RONALD WEISER FOR REASON 1.4 B AND D 
 
1.  (U) THIS IS A GUIDANCE REQUEST, PLEASE SEE PARA 5. 
 
2.  (S) ON 26 APRIL, EMBOFF MET WITH PETER PENIASKA, GENERAL 
DIRECTOR OF THE SLOVAK ARMS FIRM PETINA INTERNATIONAL, AT HIS 
    REQUEST.  PENIASKA ASKED EMBOFF ABOUT THE POSSIBILITIES OF 
DIRECTING SOME SLOVAK ARMS SALES IN A DIRECTION THAT WOULD BE 
BENEFICIAL TO THE USG.  HE HAD TWO SPECIFIC ARMS DEALS IN 
MIND AND OFFERED HIS FIRM AS AN INTERMEDIARY TO DIRECT THE 
DEALS AWAY FROM POTENTIALLY UNDESIRABLE CUSTOMERS.  HE 
EXPLAINED THAT THE WEAPONS IN QUESTION--ASSAULT RIFLES, T-72 
TANKS, AND AMMUNITION--BELONGED TO THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE, 
BUT OFFERED THAT PETINA INTERNATIONAL WOULD BUY THE WEAPONS 
FROM THE MOD AND THEN SELL THEM TO WHOMEVER THE USG DEEMED 
APPROPRIATE.  HE SUGGESTED THAT THE USG MIGHT BE INTERESTED 
IN BUYING THE ASSAULT RIFLES FOR USE BY EITHER IRAQI OR 
AFGHAN ARMIES, ADDING THAT THE CZECH REPUBLIC WAS DELIVERING 
SIMILAR ASSAULT RIFLES TO THE AFGHAN POLICE. 
 
3.  (S) PENIASKA NOTED THAT HE HAD SPOKEN WITH ONLY ONE 
PERSON IN THE GOS ABOUT THE ARMS SALES, IVAN KORCOK, STATE 
SECRETARY AT THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.  PENIASKA 
 
SIPDIS 
INDICATED THAT HE AND KORCOK HAD AGREED THAT THE BEST THING 
FOR SLOVAKIA WOULD BE TO IDENTIFY "SAFE" COUNTRIES TO EXPORT 
THESE RIFLES AND TANKS, AND THAT THEY WOULD SEEK USG ADVICE. 
 
4.  (S) COMMENT:  PENIASKA'S MOTIVES ARE NOT COMPLETELY 
ALTRUISTIC AS HIS COMPANY STANDS TO PROFIT FROM ANY ARMS DEAL 
THAT HE CAN ARRANGE.  HOWEVER, HE HAS INDICATED THAT SEVERAL 
OTHER ARMS DEALERS MAY TRY TO SELL THE MOD'S SURPLUS WEAPONS 
TO EMBARGOED COUNTRIES. 
 
5.  (S) REQUEST FOR GUIDANCE:  PLEASE ADVISE ON WHETHER THE 
USG IS INTERESTED IN PURCHASING THE MATERIEL LISTED ABOVE OR 
WHETHER WE WISH TO DIRECT PENIASKA TO ANY SPECIFIC END-USER. 
WE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE PENIASKA AN ANSWER BY MAY 15. 
    WEISER 
 
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