US embassy cable - 04BRATISLAVA583

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DZURINDA: FEELING GOOD ABOUT THE USA

Identifier: 04BRATISLAVA583
Wikileaks: View 04BRATISLAVA583 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Bratislava
Created: 2004-06-15 08:56:00
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Tags: PREL PINR LO
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000583 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/14/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PINR, LO 
SUBJECT: DZURINDA: FEELING GOOD ABOUT THE USA 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR RONALD WEISER FOR REASON 1.4 (B). 
 
1. (SBU) PRIME MINISTER MIKULAS DZURINDA CAME TO THE EMBASSY 
THE EVENING OF JUNE 10 TO SIGN THE CONDOLENCE BOOK FOR RONALD 
REAGAN.  DZURINDA AND THE AMBASSADOR USED THE OPPORTUNITY TO 
HIGHLIGHT THE STRONG TIES AND POSITIVE FEELINGS BETWEEN 
SLOVAKIA AND THE UNITED STATES.  DZURINDA TOLD THE 
    AMBASSADOR, AND LATER THE PRESS, THAT REAGAN WAS THE SINGLE 
MOST IMPORTANT INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FALL OF 
COMMUNISM AND THE REINTEGRATION OF EUROPE.  HE INSCRIBED THE 
CONDOLENCE BOOK, "WE MOURN THE LOSS OF A GREAT STATESMAN WHO 
HELPED US WIN OUR FREEDOM.  GOD BLESS THE GIPPER!  WITH 
DEEPEST CONDOLENCES, MIKULAS DZURINDA." 
 
2. (SBU) THE AMBASSADOR GAVE DZURINDA PHOTOS FROM THE NATO 
ACCESSION CEREMONIES.  HE EXPRESSED PARTICULAR PRIDE THAT 
U.S. PRESIDENT BUSH AND SLOVAK PM DZURINDA WERE TOGETHER IN 
THE CENTER OF THE GROUP. 
 
3.  (C) THE AMBASSADOR REITERATED U.S. CONDOLENCES ON THE 
JUNE 8 SLOVAK CASUALTIES IN IRAQ.  DZURINDA ALSO EXPRESSED 
HIS SORROW.  ON A POSITIVE NOTE IN IRAQ, DZURINDA WAS VERY 
PLEASED ABOUT THE UNSC RESOLUTION.  HE SAID UNANIMOUS PASSAGE 
WAS A CREDIT TO PRESIDENT BUSH.  THE AMBASSADOR THANKED 
DZURINDA FOR SLOVAKIA'S HELP AND SUPPORT. 
 
4. (C) DZURINDA COMMENTED ON SMER LEADER ROBERT FICO'S 
"UNFORTUNATE STATEMENTS" TO THE PRESS, WHICH CRITICIZED 
SLOVAKIA'S PRO-U.S. FOREIGN POLICY (SEPTEL).  DZURINDA SAID 
IT WAS RIDICULOUS TO CALL SLOVAKIA AN ISLAND OF AMERICAN 
INFLUENCE. 
 
5. (C) DZURINDA WAS VISIBLY MOVED AS HE SPOKE ABOUT RONALD 
REAGAN'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FALL OF COMMUNISM, AND EXUDED 
POSITIVE FEELINGS ABOUT THE UNITED STATES.  AFTER DZURINDA 
GAVE CREDIT TO REAGAN FOR CENTRAL EUROPE'S SUCCESS, THE 
AMBASSADOR TOLD HIM HE ALSO DESERVED A GREAT DEAL OF CREDIT 
FOR THE REFORMS THAT CARRIED SLOVAKIA FORWARD.  IN TURN, 
    DZURINDA THANKED THE AMBASSADOR FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO 
SLOVAKIA'S SUCCESS. 
WEISER 
 
NNNN 

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