US embassy cable - 05BRATISLAVA251

C O N F I D E N T I A L  BRATISLAVA 000251 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
NSC FOR FRIED/WILSON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2025 
TAGS: PREL, PINR, LO 
SUBJECT: PARLIAMENT LEADER HRUSOVSKY'S APRIL VISIT TO 
WASHINGTON AND MIAMI 
 
Classified By: CDA SCOTT N. THAYER FOR REASONS 1.4 (b, d) 
 
1. (C)  SUMMARY: The April visit of a Slovak parliamentary 
delegation led by Speaker Pavol Hrusovsky will be a useful 
opportunity to press our agenda on Iraq, minority rights, 
religious registration, and     while coordinating on areas 
where we already agree like trafficking and Cuba.  Hrusovsky 
has ambitious appointment requests which need not be 
fulfilled in their entirety.  END SUMMARY 
 
2. (SBU)  Charge and Pol-Econ Chief met March 23 with 
Chairman of the National Council of the Slovak Republic 
(Parliament) Pavol Hrusovsky about his upcoming visit to the 
U.S.  Hrosovsky plans to arrive in Washington April 17, then 
go on to Miami on April 22.  He wants to follow-up on the 
momentum created by President Bush's February 24 visit to 
Slovakia to discuss policy areas where Slovakia and the U.S. 
have common goals, for example Cuban human rights.  Hrusovsky 
also plans to lobby Congress on issues such as visa 
legislation and the coalition support fund.  Hrusovsky is 
chairman of the conservative Christian Democratic Movement 
(KDH); representatives of four other parties in Parliament 
will accompany Hrusovsky: 
 
-- Pavol Kubovic, MP for the Slovak Democratic and Christian 
Union (SDKU), Vice-Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee and 
Mayor of the Bratislava neighborhood of Ruzinov; 
-- Laszlo Nagy, MP for the Party of the Hungarian Coalition 
(SMK), Chair of the Committee on Human Rights; 
--Robert Kalinak, MP for the opposition party Smer, Chair of 
the Commission on Defense and Security; 
-- Tibor Cabaj, MP and recently-appointed caucus leader for 
the opposition party Movement for a Democratic Slovakia 
(HZDS). 
 
3. (C) Legislature: Hrusovsky, through the Slovak embassy in 
Washington and the International Republican Institute, has 
requested several meetings on Capitol Hill on April 20: 
 
Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL) (apparently confirmed) 
Cong. John Mica (R-FL) 
Cong. Chris Smith (R-NJ) 
Cong. Tom DeLay (R-TX) 
Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL) (Hrusovksy is most likely to meet 
him in Miami) 
Sen Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) 
Sen John McCain (R-AZ) 
Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) 
 
Note:  Smith and Brownback co-chair the Commission on 
Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission), 
which has called Slovakia to task on issues such as religious 
registration, Roma rights, and anti-Semitism.  The Department 
should strongly encourage such a meeting, followed by a 
longer, more in-depth session between CSCE staff and 
accompanying staff.  . 
 
4. (C) Executive Branch: Within the administration, Hrusovsky 
is requesting meetings with Secretary Rice, NSC Director 
Hadley, and Vice President Cheney, or with their designated 
representatives.  Although Hrusovsky had a meeting with Vice 
President Cheney in 2002 which included a drop-by by the 
President, the most appropriate would be with NSA Hadley, his 
deputy, or the senior director for Europe. 
 
5. (U) Think Tanks: Hrusovsky can be a thoughtful, articulate 
speaker.  Charge encouraged him to do a public program about 
Slovakia, perhaps sponsored by a the Center for Strategic and 
International Studies, the American Enterprise Fund, or the 
Heritage Foundation. 
 
6. (C) NGOs: A devout Catholic, Hrosovsky should visit 
faith-based organizations delivering services to 
disadvantaged groups.  The IRI representative resident in 
Slovakia is working to arrange this part of the program. 
Given the KDH's wary view of immigrants in Slovakia, we have 
recommended that IRI include a group working with resettled 
refugees or other immigrant communities in the Washington 
area.  In addition, Charge proposed a meeting with the 
American Jewish Community, to share information on Slovak 
efforts to combat anti-Semitism and hear U.S. concerns about 
growing intolerance in parts of Europe.  This is an area 
where the KDH's bona fides are weak. 
 
7. (SBU) Hrusovsky expressed interest in laying a wreath at 
an appropriate site to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of 
the end of World War II.  The most appropriate would be the 
Iwo Jima memorial, since one of the participants in that 
flag-raising was a Slovak-American. 
 
8. (SBU)  Hrusovsky also plans to take his delegation to 
Miami for meetings with Sen. Mel Martinez and the Cuban 
 
 
community. 
 
9. (C) Comment: Hrusovsky made no attempt to hide his public 
displeasure that President Bush did not have a private 
meeting with him, and he sees this visit as a way to 
reestablish his domestic political standing, possibly at the 
expense of Prime Minsiter Dzurinda, for whom he has no love 
lost. Nevertheless, he truly wants his visit to the U.S. to 
be productive in advancing the bilateral relationship.  The 
focus on explaining Slovakia to Capitol Hill and deepening 
congressional relations is appropriate.  The mix of parties 
and personalities in the group of five MPs will help keep the 
trip focused on policy issues rather than on Slovakia's 
highly-personal internal politics.  Hrusovsky can be very 
stubborn, but when his resolve works to promote areas where 
we have a common viewpoint, such as Cuba, he can be very 
effective in moving other members Slovakia's governing 
coalition.  He and others in his party could better serve 
Slovakia by learning more about the merits of "diversity," 
both in terms of religion and immigration. 
THAYER 
 
 
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