Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04LJUBLJANA429
2004-05-10 12:23:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ljubljana
Cable title:  

SLOVENIA: ARTICLE 98 FOLLOW-UP

Tags:  MASS MARR PREL SI 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS LJUBLJANA 000429 

SIPDIS


SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR T, P, EUR/NCE, NP, PM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MASS MARR PREL SI
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA: ARTICLE 98 FOLLOW-UP

REF: A. SECSTATE 101244

B. 03 LJUBLJANA 1166

UNCLAS LJUBLJANA 000429

SIPDIS


SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR T, P, EUR/NCE, NP, PM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MASS MARR PREL SI
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA: ARTICLE 98 FOLLOW-UP

REF: A. SECSTATE 101244

B. 03 LJUBLJANA 1166


1. (U) DCM, ACCOMPANIED BY POL-MILOFF AND ODC CHIEF,
DELIVERED REFTEL TALKING POINTS TO MFA STATE SECRETARY FOR
MULTILATERAL AFFAIRS SAMUEL ZBOGAR ON 10 MAY. ZBOGAR,
ACCOMPANIED BY STAFF ASSISTANT MATEJ MARN AND NORTH AMERICA
DESK OFFICER GREGOR KOZOVINC, WAS GRATEFUL TO HEAR THAT IMET
FUNDS WOULD BE RELEASED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
HE COMMENTED THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE SLOVENIAN ARMED FORCES
(SAF) SCHEDULED FOR MILITARY TRAINING IN THE UNITED STATES
WOULD BE ESPECIALLY THANKFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD OF
THEM.


2. (U) WITH RESPECT TO AN ARTICLE 98 AGREEMENT, ZBOGAR FIRST
STRESSED THE SLOVENES' CONFIDENCE IN THE USG'S ABILITY TO
PROSECUTE CRIMES COMMITTED BY U.S. CITIZENS, NOTING THE ROME
TREATY PREFERENCE FOR SOVEREIGN ARRANGEMENTS. HE THEN
EXPRESSED HOPE THAT THE U.S. WOULD SOME DAY "SEE MERIT IN
SUPPORTING OR POSSIBLY JOINING THE ICC." ADMITTING THAT
THERE HAD BEEN NO INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS AT MFA RECENTLY ABOUT
SIGNING AN ARTICLE 98 AGREEMENT, ZBOGAR REFERRED TO AN
EARLIER ROUND OF CONSULTATIONS THAT YIELDED A PROPOSAL FOR AN
AGREEMENT COMPATIBLE WITH BOTH THE ICC STATUTE AND EU
GUIDELINES. DCM TOLD ZBOGAR THAT THE USG "NEEDS MORE" THAN
THE GOS INITIALLY OFFERED. ZBOGAR SAID THE GOS REMAINS "OPEN
TO FINDING A SOLUTION."


3. (SBU) COMMENT: IN CHARACTERISTICALLY DIPLOMATIC STYLE,
ZBOGAR LEFT OPEN THE POSSIBILITY FOR FURTHER DIALOGUE ON
ARTICLE 98 BUT INDICATED CLEARLY THAT ANY AGREEMENT WOULD
HAVE TO BE CONCLUDED WITHIN EU GUIDELINES. AS WE HAVE
REPORTED IN THE PAST, SLOVENIA IS MOST UNLIKELY TO BREAK
RANKS WITH ITS FELLOW EU MEMBER STATES ON THIS ISSUE, AS
FOMIN RUPEL TOLD A/S BLOOMFIELD WHEN THEY DISCUSSED THE ISSUE
LAST NOVEMBER (REF B). END COMMENT
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