SLOVAKIA TO FOLLOW EU POSITION ON NSNW

S E C R E T BRATISLAVA 000723

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/29/2014
TAGS: PREL PARM MARR LO NATO UNGA
SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA TO FOLLOW EU POSITION ON NSNW

REF: STATE 163889

Classified By: DCM Scott Thayer for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)


1. (S) Poloff met with Rastislav Gabriel of the Arms
Control, Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Division of the
Department of OSCE and Disarmament in the MFA on 29 July, per
reftel. Gabriel said that Slovakia does not consider itself
a major player on this matter and expects to follow the
larger states' lead. Slovakia will wait for the EU
discussion to formulate a position on Non-Strategic Nuclear
Weapons (NSNW). He noted that Slovakia abstained last year
on the same resolution and would likely do the same this
year. Slovakia is generally in favor of the Japanese
resolution favoring total nuclear disarmament. Gabriel
labeled the Japanese proposal the "most realistic" of the
nuclear disarmament options. Gabriel expects the Slovak
decision to develop out of an EU roundtable at the UNGA or an
EU working group on global disarmament in Brussels.


2. (S) When asked if Slovakia would consider this security
issue in a NATO context and forum, Gabriel hedged describing
Slovakia as wedged between NATO and the EU. Gabriel did not
expect a NATO consensus to develop. He noted that Slovakia
does not want to see this issue distract next May's NPT
Review from considering other nonproliferation issues that
have a greater chance of real action.
WEISER


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