SLOVAKIA SEEKS UN SECURITY COUNCIL SEAT

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000626 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV KPKO AA UN SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA SEEKS UN SECURITY COUNCIL SEAT ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. SLOVAKIA IS SEEKING AN OCTOBER 1 REGIONAL ENDORSEMENT FOR A NON-PERMANENT UNSC SEAT IN 2006- ¶2007. SLOVAKIA WILL INTENSIFY A GLOBAL CAMPAIGN IF ENDORSED REGIONALLY. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) POLOFF MET WITH OKSANA TOMOVA, DIRECTOR OF THE MFA'S DEPARTMENT OF THE UN AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ON 24 JUNE. TOMOVA NOTED SLOVAKIA STARTED ITS PITCH FOR A UNSC NON-PERMANENT SEAT ON APRIL 1. SHE SAID SLOVAKIA HAS ALREADY ENGAGED EU PARTNERS INCLUDING BELGIUM, THE NETHERLANDS, SLOVENIA, THE CZECH REPUBLIC, AND THE IRISH EU PRESIDENCY. ¶3. (SBU) SLOVAKIA IS PREPARING A TEAM OF FOUR SENIOR DIPLOMATS AND TWO ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS TO GO TO NEW YORK TO ADVOCATE FOR THE UNSC SEAT. THE FOREIGN MINISTRY WILL GRANT THE TEAM SUBSTANTIAL DECISIONMAKING DISCRETION TO OBVIATE THE NEED TO AWAIT DIRECTION FROM THE CAPITAL. THE MFA WILL PRESENT A STRATEGIC DOCUMENT ON "HOT POINTS" SUCH AS IRAQ, THE BALKANS, AND THE MIDDLE EAST. THE DOCUMENT WILL INCLUDE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE AND GOS POSITIONS ON THESE ISSUES. ¶4. (SBU) THE MFA IS WAITING FOR FUNDING TO BEING THIS PROGRAM. A NEW SLOVAK UN AMBASSADOR SHOULD BE DECIDED THIS SUMMER. WEISER NNNN