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 NNNN