Slovakia's Priorities for the UNGA

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000700 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM AORC LO UNGA UN SUBJECT: Slovakia's Priorities for the UNGA REF: STATE 152009 ¶1. SUMMARY. Slovakia will follow the EU position at the UNGA on all US priorities except cloning. Slovakia expects to win the region's 2006/2007 non-permanent Security Council seat as no other state in the region has voiced its candidacy. END SUMMARY. Slovakia on U.S. Priorities -------------- ¶2. Poloff met with Richard Galbavy of the Department of the UN and UN Specialized Agencies on 22 July, per reftel. Galbavy explained that Slovakia will follow the EU position on all U.S. UNGA priorities except the ban on human cloning. Galbavy did not see any substantive differences between the U.S. and EU positions on the economic freedom, trafficking in persons, and democracy initiatives. Slovakia is co- sponsoring the Costa Rica resolution to ban all forms of human cloning. Galbavy stated there was no consensus among EU member states to reduce Middle East resolutions but that Slovakia is not a member of any of the committees listed. Slovak Priorities for the UNGA -------------- ¶3. Galbavy stressed that this was the first UNGA in which Slovakia will participate as an EU member state and noted EU priorities will closely resemble Slovak priorities. He said the GOS will prepare a Slovak priority paper in early September. ¶4. Slovakia's only expressed, non-EU based priority is to advance its candidacy for the region's non-permanent 2006/2007 Security Council seat. Slovakia is currently the only candidate within the East European Group and expects to win the seat. Galbavy requested U.S. support in the Slovak bid. THAYER NNNN