THEMES FOR THE VISIT OF SLOVAK MFA STATE SECRETARY

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000030

SIPDIS


STATE FOR P, T, AND EUR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/09/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR LO
SUBJECT: THEMES FOR THE VISIT OF SLOVAK MFA STATE SECRETARY
IVAN KORCOK

REF: A. A. 03 BRATISLAVA 1375


B. B. 03 BRATISLAVA 1388

CLASSIFIED BY: CDA SCOTT N THAYER FOR REASON 1.4B.


1. (C) SUMMARY: STATE SECRETARY FOR THE SLOVAK MINISTRY OF
FOREIGN AFFAIRS IVAN KORCOK (PRONOUNCED KOR-CHOK) WILL VISIT
WASHINGTON JANUARY 14-16 TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE SLOVAKIA
PLACES ON THE TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONSHIP AND TO INTENSIFY
U.S.-SLOVAK DIALOGUE ON BILATERAL AND MULTILATERAL ISSUES
(REF A). THE DECISION TO VISIT COMES PARTLY FROM A FEELING
THAT THE U.S. IS CONCENTRATING ON "PROBLEM CHILDREN" IN
EUROPE AND ELSEWHERE, WITH LESS ATTENTION FOCUSED ON SMALL
BUT FAITHFUL ALLIES LIKE SLOVAKIA. KORCOK WILL BE ESPECIALLY
INTERESTED IN HEARING WASHINGTON'S VIEWS ON NATO ACCESSION
SCENARIOS AND THE ISTANBUL SUMMIT, WORKING TOGETHER ON
UKRAINE AND BELARUS, AND U.S. ATTENDANCE AT THE MARCH 19-20
BRATISLAVA CONFERENCE ON EUROPEAN SECURITY. INTERLOCUTORS
SHOULD ENGAGE KORCOK ON U.S. PRIORITIES WHERE THE SLOVAKS CAN
TAKE A STRONGER ROLE, AND ENCOURAGE THEIR ACTIVISM BOTH
UNILATERALLY AND IN INTERNATIONAL FORA SUCH AS NATO AND THE
EU. END SUMMARY


2. (C) SLOVAKIA IS LOOKING FORWARD IN THE COMING MONTHS TO
NATO AND EU ACCESSION. DUE TO THIS, PUBLIC OPINION POLLS
REVEAL THAT MOST SLOVAKS CONSIDER THE GOS FOREIGN POLICY
"SUCCESSFUL." THIS IS THE ONLY AREA WHERE THE DZURINDA
GOVERNMENT GETS A FAVORABLE RATING. (NOTE: THE PUBLIC IS
MUCH MORE PESSIMISTIC ABOUT ECONOMIC REFORMS, AS 94 NEW LAWS
TOOK EFFECT JANUARY 1, 2004, RESULTING IN PRICE INCREASES FOR
CONSUMER ITEMS ACROSS THE BOARD.) PLAYING ON THIS STRENGTH,
THE MFA IS PLANNING TO FOCUS ON "NICHE CAPABILITIES" IN
FOREIGN POLICY AS MUCH AS IN DEFENSE. AREAS WHERE SLOVAKIA
WOULD LIKE TO ASSUME A MORE PROMINENT ROLE INCLUDE RELATIONS
WITH THE BALKANS; ENCOURAGING REFORM IN UKRAINE, BELARUS,
MOLDOVA, AND PERHAPS IN OTHER FORMER SOVIET REPUBLICS; AND
THE MIDDLE EAST.


3. (C) SLOVAKIA, ALONG WITH OTHER ACCESSION COUNTRIES, IS
INCREASINGLY CURIOUS ABOUT U.S. PLANS FOR BRINGING IN THE NEW
NATO MEMBERS. (REF B). WHILE A CELEBRATION WILL BE
IMPORTANT, WE SHOULD ALSO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF
CONTINUING MILITARY REFORM, ALLOCATING SUFFICIENT BUDGET FOR
FORCE 2010, AND DEVELOPING CAPABILITIES THAT MEET THE
CHANGING NEEDS OF NATO. SLOVAKIA DESERVES CREDIT FOR HOLDING
TO THE 2 PERCENT OF GDP LEVEL FOR DEFENSE SPENDING EVEN IN
THE FACE OF TOUGH ECONOMIC CHOICES (ADMITTEDLY THROUGH
CREATIVE ACCOUNTING). KORCOK WILL APPRECIATE EXPRESSIONS OF
SUPPORT FOR SLOVAK TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ, ESPECIALLY
AS THE GOS PREPARES TO BEEF UP ITS DEMINING CONTINGENT IN
IRAQ WITH 30 MILITARY POLICE FOR SECURITY. (PM DZURINDA
PLANS TO VISIT SLOVAK TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN JANUARY 23.)
KORCOK SHOULD BE REMINDED THAT OTHER ASPECTS OF THE GWOT
SHOULD NOT BE OVERLOOKED; FOR EXAMPLE, THE DECREASE IN THE
BUDGET FOR THE SLOVAK INTELLIGENCE SERVICE HAMPERS THE GOS
ABILITY NOT ONLY TO COMBAT TERRORISM AND ORGANIZED CRIME, BUT
ALSO TO PROVIDE INFORMATION NEEDED FOR SECURITY CLEARANCES.


5. (C) SLOVAKIA VIEWS ITSELF AS BEING ON THE FRONT LINES WITH
UKRAINE AND BELARUS AND WELCOME THE EU'S ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT
TOWARDS THOSE TWO COUNTRIES. IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR KORCOK TO
HEAR OUR THOUGHTS ABOUT NEXT STEPS IN BOTH COUNTRIES AND HOW
SLOVAKIA AND OTHER NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES CAN BE USEFUL.


6. (C) PLANNING FOR THE MARCH 19-20 BRATISLAVA CONFERENCE
CONTINUES APACE, AND WAS FINALIZED DURING MEETINGS THIS
WEEKEND. KORCOK SHOULD BE AN EFFECTIVE ADVOCATE FOR IT AND
USG ATTENDANCE.


7. (C) BIO NOTE: KORCOK IS WIDELY VIEWED AS THE LIKELY
SUCCESSOR TO FONMIN KUKAN IF THE LATTER WINS THE PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION IN APRIL. FORMERLY DCM IN THE SLOVAK NATO MISSION,
KORCOK HAS STRONG TRANS-ATLANTICIST BELIEFS AND DOESN'T
HESITATE TO EXPRESS THEM.

THAYER

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