US embassy cable - 04LJUBLJANA438

UNCLAS  LJUBLJANA 000438 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/NCE, EUR/ERA, OES 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV, EAID, ECIN, EWWT, PREL, SI 
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA: SAVA RIVER BASIN INITIATIVE 
REF: SECSTATE 90991 
 
Sensitive but Unclassified.  Please protect 
accordingly. 
 
1.  (U) This cable responds to reftel request for 
information on the status of Slovenia's commitment to 
the establishment of a Permanent Sava River Basin 
Commission, the implementation of its mandate, and 
official representation.  On 05 May, MFA State 
Undersecretary and Stability Pact National Coordinator 
Janez Premoze discussed reftel questions with Econoff. 
Information below is keyed to questions posed in 
reftel. 
 
2.  (SBU) Does the GoS remain committed to working with 
the three neighboring Sava riparian states to establish 
a Permanent Sava River Basin Commission? 
According to Premoze, the answer is an unequivocal 
"yes." The GoS will continue to move the process 
forward, setting the stage for the Commission to start 
as soon as possible.  He remarked that Slovenia has 
great interest in establishing the Commission because 
it is a "forward looking project for all of the 
countries" involved.  Although the Sava River is not 
navigable in Slovenia, Premoze pointed out that "what 
happens downstream is important to us."  He mentioned 
that Slovenia sees the Commission serving various 
purposes; a sort of "bypass used to resolve a number of 
outstanding issues in a multilateral forum."  Premoze 
reported that Slovenian companies are eager to 
participate in reconstruction projects, hoping to win 
some of the tenders issued for that purpose and floated 
the idea of the possible construction of a 
hydroelectric power plant on the Sava. 
 
3.  (SBU) Does your government support Zagreb as the 
location of the permanent Secretariat?  Will your 
government confirm its support via diplomatic note? 
Premoze confirmed that Slovenia will support Zagreb as 
the location of the permanent Secretariat as long as 
the other three countries stand by their April 2004 
commitments.  Premoze stated that the four countries 
agreed, in principle, that the Secretariat's location 
would be in Zagreb; that the Commissioner would be 
someone from Serbia and Montenegro; the Chairperson 
would come from Bosnia; and that the agreement's 
depository would be in Slovenia.  He hoped that the 
four countries will have ratified the International 
Agreement before the upcoming Stability Pact Meeting 
scheduled to take place 06-08 June in Portoroz, 
Slovenia. 
 
4.  (SBU) Who are the competent MFA authorities charged 
with overseeing the Sava River Basin Initiative?  Which 
line ministry has authority over this issue?  Who is 
the appropriate working-level contact?  Premoze 
explained that the MFA (his Office) will take the lead 
in establishing an Interministerial Working Group 
responsible for issues dealing with the Sava River 
Initiative [NOTE:  The line ministry holding the 
chairmanship is undetermined.  END NOTE]. He observed 
that in addition to the MFA, the Ministry of the 
Economy, the Ministry of Environment, and the Ministry 
of Transport will also be represented in this 
Interministerial Working Group.  Premoze added that the 
"overall authority on the administration of the Sava 
River Basin Initiative will rest with the Cabinet." 
 
5.  (SBU) Who can vest your country's delegation with 
the authority to participate in the Interim Commission 
meetings and make commitments?  Citing his previous 
responses, Premoze explained that the Cabinet will take 
a final decision based on the Interministerial Working 
Group recommendations.  "The issues will determine 
which line ministry will be in charge of staffing 
meetings," Premoze said. 
 
6.  (SBU) What resources is your government willing to 
dedicate to the establishment of/participation in the 
Interim and Permanent Commissions?   Premoze noted that 
a legal experts group will draft a Administrative 
Agreement dealing specifically with operational costs. 
In his view, each country will contribute one-fourth of 
the costs associated with running the Secretariat, and 
provide one-fourth of the total.  Unequivocally, he 
noted that Slovenia remains "fully committed to the 
agreement." 
 
 
7.  (SBU) Do the projects listed below submitted by the 
four member states still represent your government's 
priorities?  Although reluctant to answer this 
question, Premoze identified item 11 as the GoS's 
highest priority.  [NOTE:  Item 11 is listed as 
"Implementation of WFD -- Testing Guidance.  END NOTE.] 
He commented that the rest of the projects would have 
to be considered specifically. 
 
8.  (SBU) COMMENT: Premoze seemed genuinely upbeat and 
hopeful that a Permanent Commission will be operational 
by the end of the year.  In his view, this initiative 
lends credibility to the Stability Pact as a means to 
find solutions to common concerns.  Premoze's 
assessment on the feasibility and sustainability of 
this initiative is influenced by his role in the 
Stability Pact, as chair of one of pact's working 
tables.  Beyond his personal role, however, Premoze's 
statements illustrate a binding thread in Slovenia's 
overall security policy - the use of economic means and 
business opportunities to promote regional stability 
and national security in a multilateral forum.  And, 
the fact that the agreement protects the environment 
bodes well in an environmentally conscious country. 
END COMMENT. 
YOUNG 
 
 
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