US embassy cable - 05BRATISLAVA552

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000552 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
FOR EUR/ERA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2010 
TAGS: PREL, EU, UZ, TU, HR, LO, UN 
SUBJECT: SLOVAK VIEWS ON JULY 18 GAERC 
 
REF: STATE 124856 
 
Classified By: Political/Economic Section Chief Debra Hevia for reasons 
 1.4 b and d 
 
1.  (C) Pol-Econ Chief shared ref A pre-GAERC points with 
Lubomir Rehak, European 
Correspondent, on July 8.  Rehak was pleased to discuss U.S. 
positions and stated that 
he would share the talking points with others within the 
Ministry prior to the GAERC 
meeting, adding that Foreign Minister Kukan always read the 
U.S. points in his briefing book. 
 
Turkey/Croatia 
-------------- 
 
2. (C) Rehak said the Turkish Ambassador, in a recent meeting 
at the MFA, had 
expressed frustration with the conditions that have been 
placed on Turkey 
before accession negotiations can begin.  Slovakia will 
insist that Turkey fulfill all the conditions.  Recognizing 
Cyprus will be an important step.  Rehak said Slovakia is 
concerned that if accession negotiations begin for Turkey 
while Croatia is still denied negotiations, internal problems 
in Croatia could ensue.  He added that Slovakia, along with 
Hungary and Austria, believes that negotiations with Croatia 
must begin at the same time if not before they are begun with 
Turkey.  Croatia has more in common with other European 
countries than Turkey.  Of course it will be necessary for 
Croatia to cooperate with ICTY, but Carla del Ponte should 
not be the judge of "full cooperation," rather it should be a 
special commission from the EU. 
 
UN  High Level Event on Millennium Review 
------------------------------------------ 
 
3. (C) Rehak said that Slovakia is in general agreement with 
the U.S. on UN reform. 
 
Syria/Lebanon, Iran 
------------------- 
 
4. (C) Rehak stated that Slovakia has no disputes with the 
U.S. position on 
Syria/Lebanon.  On Iran, Rehak mentioned that the EU is 
discussing what type of 
representation to send to President-elect Ahmadinejad's 
inauguration, and would perhaps limit attendance to 
ambassadors in-country.  Rehak said that the EU should refine 
its policy on Iran in the lead-up to the IAEA Board of 
Governors meeting in September. 
 
Uzbekistan 
---------- 
 
5. (C) Slovakia remains particularly concerned about 
Uzbekistan, and is receiving first-hand information from 
Slovak Ambassador Miroslav Jenca, who is heading the OSCE 
office in Tashkent.  Because the Uzbeks refuse any meetings 
with EU members, Jenca is virtually the only channel of 
communication with Europe.  Rehak said that Uzbekistan will 
surely be seriously discussed at the upcoming GAERC meeting. 
Some member states are reluctant to send any strong signals 
(e.g. Germany opposes visa restrictions) and some remain 
opposed to using the "Moscow Mechanism" of the OSCE.  Rehak 
was eager to hear U.S. views of the Moscow Mechanism and the 
U.S. assesment of developments in Uzbekistan.  He said that 
Slovakia would like to see the situation change in a way that 
would allow the OSCE to negotiate, but that this remains 
difficult due to the Uzbek's aversion to take advice from the 
OSCE or the EU.  He agreed that some type of consequences for 
Uzbekistan must be enacted by the EU in light of the passing 
of the June 30 deadline, and lamented that the EU did not 
have real consequences in mind when it set the deadline. 
 
THAYER 
 
 
NNNN