US embassy cable - 05BRATISLAVA566

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000566 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
FOR PM/PPA SCOTT KWAK 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MASS, PREL, PARM, LO 
SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA FY 2005 COALITION SOLIDARITY FUND 
ALLOCATION 
 
REF:STATE 120737 
 
1.  On July 15, 2005, Post received a response to Reftel 
inquiry regarding Slovakia's plans for allocating the 2005 
Coalition Solidarity Fund disbursement.  In a letter from 
Jozef Zufka of the Military Planning and Resource 
Management Section of the Ministry of Defense, Slovakia 
states its wish to purchase the following: 
 
1) Equipment for Explosive Ordinance Disposal / Center of 
Excellence project  to upgrade facilities in NOVAKY 
according to NATO standards: 
- EOD simulative technology and equipment for special 
training and teaching 
PRICE:  USD 3 million 
 
2) Biological Aerosol Warning System (BAWS)  1 set. 
PRICE:  USD 3 million 
 
TOTAL VALUE OF EQUIPMENT REQUESTED:  USD 6 million 
 
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2.  Slovakia has contingents in both Iraq and Afghanistan 
that are conducting demining operations, and the Ministry 
has expressed its desire to further develop EOD as a "niche 
capability" within NATO.  The Ministry of Defense believes 
that the equipment outlined in item 1 above will help it 
expedite this development.  The Slovak Armed forces is 
developing Nuclear, Chemical and Biological (NBC) Defense 
as another niche capability.   Item 2 will increase the 
overall capabilities of Slovakia's forces and allow it to 
meet NBC detection requirements, providing critical 
protection to troops fighting the Global War on Terrorism. 
 
THAYER 
 
 
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