US embassy cable - 04BRATISLAVA969

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000969 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/21/2014 
TAGS: PREL, KOMC, LO, LY 
SUBJECT: SLOVAKS FORMULATING POSITION ON EXPORT CONTROLS TO 
LIBYA 
 
REF: STATE 221188 
 
Classified By: CDA Scott Thayer for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) Per reftel, poloffs met October 15 with Karol Mistrik, 
Director of the Department of OSCE, Disarmament, and Council 
of Europe, MFA; Rastislav Krizan, export control expert in 
the same department; and Lubomir Rehak, European 
Correspondent, MFA.  Mistrik presented the EU argument that a 
strengthened Code of Conduct would prevent inappropriate 
exports to Libya. He noted Slovakia did not want to exclude 
itself from opportunities that other EU states would soon 
enjoy. 
 
2. (C) Mistrik said lifting the embargo was a positive signal 
to reward Libya for "its recent strides."  He said lifting 
the embargo does not preclude effective export controls.  The 
EU member states, including Slovakia, would not export 
high-tech or sensitive technologies to Libya.  He described 
lethal and non-lethal export policy as the matter of internal 
discussion at the MFA.  He said Slovakia cannot stand alone 
in the EU and does not see why they should not export the 
same materials other EU states do.  Rehak added the Council 
of Ministers is waiting on a positive sign from Libya on the 
Bulgarian medics and human rights situation before making 
further policy decisions. 
 
3. (C) Mistrik defended the EU Code of Conduct, describing 
export controls as a matter of national policy for 
responsible governments.  He described the "political 
commitment" as sometimes stronger than legal ones due to 
effective peer pressure.  He said Slovaks are still 
discussing what, if anything, they might approve in the 
future for export to Libya.  Poloffs informed MFA 
interlocutors that should the GOS export "lethal" materiel 
while U.S. sanctions were in place, they jeopardized Slovak 
FMF and IMET assistance. DCM made the same points October 18 
with Lubomir Cano, head of MFA's Security Policy department, 
and Vladimir Jakabcin, MOD DirGen for International Policy. 
Mistrik was visibly concerned at the possible impact exports 
of certain "lethal" materiel might have on FMF, IMET, and 
future involvement in the Excess Defense Articles program. 
 
4. (SBU) COMMENT: Arms exports were in the past a large 
component of the Slovak economy.  Czechoslovak arms 
production peaked in 1988 when 140,000 people were employed 
directly or indirectly by the industry.  Seventy percent of 
production was exported (fifty percent to Warsaw pact 
countries and twenty percent to developing countries) and 
thirty percent was for domestic use.   Sixty percent of the 
100 Czechoslovak arms enterprises were located in Slovakia. 
The industry collapsed during the 1990s and the GOS would 
like to revive arms production.  DefMin Juraj Liska proposed 
in September to UnderSecDef for Acquisition Technology and 
Logistics working with U.S. firms to produce arms required by 
NATO.  There are still stockpiles that the Slovaks would like 
to market.  END COMMENT. 
THAYER 
 
 
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