GLOBAL DEFENSE POSTURE REVIEW DEMARCHE DELIVERED

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000762 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/NCE, EUR/RPM, AND PM/RSAT E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2014 TAGS: PREL MARR LO NATO SUBJECT: GLOBAL DEFENSE POSTURE REVIEW DEMARCHE DELIVERED REF: STATE 174698 Classified By: CDA Scott N. Thayer for reasons 1.4 b, d (C) 1. Charge delivered reftel demarche August 13 to MFA and MOD officials responsible for security policy and alliance affairs, as well as Prime Minister's international affairs advisor. All expressed appreciation for heads-up on the President's likely decision and speech and thus to be able to respond to likely local press inquiries. They understood that Slovakia was not under consideration for stationing of U.S. troops under the new structure, but reiterated Slovakia's willingness to host training deployments at a number of facilities. In that context, MFA officials asked about missile defense discussions, noting that their three neighbors (Poland, Czech Republic, and Hungary) were being considered for possible deployment while Slovakia was not. Charge replied based on informal guidance that there were (unspecified) practical reasons why Slovakia had not been included in these discussions. (U) 2. ACTION REQUEST: We would appreciate a brief cleared explanation for Slovakia's exclusion from consideration for missile defense deployment discussions which can be shared with GOS officials and used by them to respond to press inquiries. THAYER NNNN