US-SLOVAK BILATERAL TRADE AGREEMENT

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000664

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD LO
SUBJECT: US-SLOVAK BILATERAL TRADE AGREEMENT

REF: STATE 148008

DCM AND ECONOFF MET JULY 9 WITH THE MFA'S DIRECTOR GENERAL
FOR EU AFFAIRS, MAROS SEFCOVIC, AND SEPARATELY WITH THE
MINISTRY OF ECONOMY'S DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR TRADE, MICHAL
REBEJ, AND HIS ADVISOR, MICHAL VRABEL, TO DELIVER REFTEL
POINTS AND COPY OF DIPLOMATIC NOTE. ALL GOS REPRESENTATIVES
WERE NEW TO THIS ISSUE, INDICATED THEIR FLEXIBILITY ON THIS
SUBJECT, AND WERE UNDERSTANDING OF OUR POINT TO NOT
TERMINATE THE BTA NEEDLESSLY. WE DID NOT NEED TO DEPLOY KEY
ARGUMENTS IN REFTEL TO ELICIT THE DESIRED RESPONSE OF HAVING
THE GOS RECONSIDER TERMINATING THE BTA. POST WILL CONTINUE
TO WORK WITH THE AFOREMENTIONED OFFICIALS TO EDUCATE THEM
AND IDENTIFY KEY AREAS FOR REVISION/RENEGOTIATION. THE
SLOVAK SUMMER HOLIDAY SEASON BEGAN TODAY; WE DO NOT EXPECT A
MORE FORMAL ANSWER REGARDING THE BTA UNTIL LATE AUGUST.
WEISER

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