US embassy cable - 05BRATISLAVA462

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000462 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
EUR/NCE FOR V. LYNN 
NEA/I FOR M. HABIB 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, ECON, IZ, LO, EUN 
SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT US-EU CONFERENCE ON 
IRAQ 
 
REF: A. STATE 103222 
 
     B. BRATISLAVA 458 
 
1. (SBU) Oldrich Hlavacek, Director of the MFA Fourth 
Territorial Division (covering Africa, Asia, and the Middle 
East), told pol-econ chief June 13 that Slovakia is "very 
enthusiastic and looking forward to" the U.S.-EU conference 
on Iraq (ref A).  He said the two most important things about 
the conference are that 1) the Iraqis are presenting their 
own ideas, priorities, and interests, and 2) the U.S. and EU 
"are together." 
 
2. (U) Foreign Minister Eduard Kukan will lead the Slovak 
delegation, which will also include: 
-- Maros Sefcovic, Ambassador to the EU, plus two other 
members of the Slovak mission to the EU; 
-- Miroslav Lajcak, Political Director of the MFA; 
-- Peter Kmec, Kukan's Chief of Cabinet; 
-- Klara Novotna, former ambassador to the U.N. and now 
Hlavacek's deputy; and 
-- Juraj Mlynar from the Slovak mission to the U.N. in New 
York. 
 
3. (SBU) Hlavacek confirmed that Slovakia wants to continue 
in-kind training and internships for Iraqis such as those 
organized by the Pontis Foundation with IRI funding.  Slovak 
ministries, media outlets, and NGO's are willing and able to 
provide these opportunities; the only obstacle is identifying 
funding.  Slovakia will offer four scholarships a year for 
the next three years for Iraqis to attend Slovak universities 
- two at the master's level and two at the doctoral level. 
(The normal limit is two scholarships a year to any given 
country.)  Hlavacek said the MFA favors forgiving Iraqi debt 
and has been working to convince the Ministry of Finance. 
Charge will follow-up with Finance Minister Ivan Miklos in a 
June 15 meeting.  Hlavacek confirmed that, despite the June 
11 suicide bomber attack on the Slovak embassy in Baghdad 
(ref B), the Slovak mission would remain open in Iraq, 
staffed by two diplomats plus local employees.  Furthermore, 
Slovak deminers would continue operating in Iraq. 
 
4. (SBU) Vladimir Jakabcin, Director of International 
Relations at the Ministry of Defense, told Charge June 14 
that Defense Minister Juraj Liska had approved a plan to 
offer Slovak officers to MNF-1.  Liska is expected to submit 
the request to parliament for approval in the coming days. 
If parliament approves the additional deployment, CINC 
General Bulik would be charged with identifying the 
appropriate officers with the needed qualifications for 
MNF-1. 
THAYER 
 
 
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