US embassy cable - 05BRATISLAVA851

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000851 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/17/2015 
TAGS: EAGR, ETRD, LO, WTO 
SUBJECT: SLOVAKS SATISFIED WITH CURRENT COMMISSION MANDATE 
IN WTO 
 
REF: STATE 190730 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR R.M. VALLEE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) 
 
1.  (C) In response to reftel, Ambassador delivered talking 
points and USTR fact sheets to Minister of Economy Jirko 
Malcharek.  We separately delivered the points to Agriculture 
State Secretary Marian Radosovsky.  Malcharek indicated that 
he personally would like to see far-reaching global trade 
liberalization, but opined that political considerations 
would temper the process.  Malcharek did not believe that 
tomorrow's meeting would alter the Commission's mandate 
(either way) but was merely a chance for member states to 
communicate following the bold USTR proposal.  Malcharek, who 
has only been on the job for a week, added that the GOS would 
like to take a more active role in the EU pushing for freer 
trade, but would not elaborate further. 
 
2.  (C) MFA State Secretary (Deputy Foreign Minister) Berenyi 
also expressed sympathy for a more flexible EU approach, but 
added that France and its allies, "probably the Mediterranean 
countries," would have enough support eventually to prevent 
the EU from matching the USG's bold proposal.  He opined, 
however, that tomorrow's meeting would be only an opening 
discussion of the mandate issue and that a final decision 
would not be made until just before the December WTO 
Ministerial. 
 
VALLEE 
 
 
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