SLOVAKS SUPPORT IRAQ RESOLUTION

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000569 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL LO IZ UN SUBJECT: SLOVAKS SUPPORT IRAQ RESOLUTION ¶1. (U) THE SLOVAK MFA JUNE 9 ISSUED A PUBLIC STATEMENT WELCOMING THE RESOLUTION ON IRAQ APPROVED BY THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL. THE STATEMENT CALLED THE RESOLUTION A DECISIVE STEP TOWARDS NORMALIZING THE SITUATION IN IRAQ AND RENEWING STABILITY AND DEMOCRACY. "STRENGTHENING THE ROLE OF THE UN REPRESENTS A SPECIFIC PLATFORM ON THE PART OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S EFFORTS TO ASSIST THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT IN FACING THE CHALLENGES OF NEW POLITICAL PROCESSES," READS THE MFA STATEMENT IN PART. ¶2. (SBU) SLOVAKIA'S FIRST CASUALTIES IN IRAQ ON JUNE 8 INSPIRED SOME POLITICIANS TO REITERATE CALLS FOR A DISCUSSION ON WHEN THE SLOVAK MISSION IN IRAQ WILL END. NONETHELESS, THE GOVERNMENT HAS REMAINED FIRMLY COMMITTED TO KEEPING SLOVAK TROOPS IN IRAQ AS LONG AS THEY ARE NEEDED. PRIVATELY, MFA OFFICIALS EXPRESSED GREAT SATISFACTION THAT THE UNSC RESOLUTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY, LENDING FURTHER LEGITIMACY TO SLOVAK FOREIGN POLICY TOWARDS IRAQ. WEISER NNNN