THANKS TO KEITH MINES FOR PUBLIC OUTREACH ON IRAQ

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000603

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR EUR/NCE
BUDAPEST FOR AMBASSADOR AND POL:MINES

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPAO IZ LO
SUBJECT: THANKS TO KEITH MINES FOR PUBLIC OUTREACH ON IRAQ



1. BERT, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR "LENDING" US POLITICAL
OFFICER KEITH MINES FOR A DAY OF PUBLIC OUTREACH ON HIS
EXPERIENCES DURING SIX MONTHS IN IRAQ. HE SPOKE TO A
VARIETY OF SLOVAK AUDIENCES JUNE 17: THE EMBASSY STAFF,
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, THINK TANK MEMBERS AND OPINION MAKERS.
HE DID A COMPREHENSIVE INTERVIEW WITH A JOURNALIST FROM ONE
OF SLOVAKIA'S LEADING DAILY NEWSPAPERS AND MADE A 15-MINUTE
APPEARANCE ON A LIVE PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAM ON THE
TELEVISION STATION TA3, THE SLOVAK CNN. HE IS A TALENTED
PUBLIC SPEAKER AND AN INSPIRATION TO US ALL, AND I'M SURE
YOU WILL MISS HIM WHEN HE DEPARTS BUDAPEST THIS SUMMER.


2. KEITH, LET ME THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR BRINGING YOUR ONE-
MAN ROAD SHOW TO BRATISLAVA. IT IS TRUE THAT A PICTURE
SPEAKS A THOUSAND WORDS, AND ALL YOUR AUDIENCES APPRECIATED
THE CHANCE TO SEE YOUR SLIDES AND HEAR YOUR FIRST-HAND VIEWS
ABOUT PROGRESS MADE AND CHALLENGES REMAINING IN IRAQ. AS
THE MFA HOST DECLARED, AFTER SEEING DAILY IMAGES OF
EXPLOSIONS AND ANGER, IT IS IMPORTANT TO SEE THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE COIN INCLUDING CIVIC LIFE.

WEISER

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