US embassy cable - 05BRATISLAVA686

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000686 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/25/2015 
TAGS: PREL, EU, TU, LO 
SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA ON TURKEY'S EU ACCESSION: A ROSIER 
PICTURE EMERGES 
 
REF: A. STATE 150087 
     B. BRATISLAVA 660 
 
Classified By: DCM Lawrence R. Silverman for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). 
 
(C)  Foreign Minister Kukan's chef de cabinet, Peter Kmec, 
provided DCM August 25 a somewhat more positive picture of 
Slovakia's likely stance on the beginning of Turkey's EU 
accession talks October 3 than we had heard from other MFA 
officials earlier (ref B).  We reiterated our strong 
arguments about why the EU should stick with the 10/3 date 
and not create new conditions or linkages, including the 
generally positive reactions of some of Slovakia's neighbors. 
 We wanted to brief Kmec personally in advance of Cypriot FM 
Lacovou's visit to Bratislava August 30 and his meeting with 
FM Kukan.  Kmec noted Slovakia's position that Croatia's 
talks should begin as soon as possible rather than being 
linked to war crimes issues and continued to prefer linkage 
between Croatia and Turkey.  However, he quickly added that 
he thought the GOS would not make a significant lobbying 
effort on the issue within EU circles. We expect to get a 
readout from the GOS after the Lacovou visit. 
VALLEE 
 
 
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