UNCLAS LJUBLJANA 000438

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR EUR/NCE, EUR/ERA, OES

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV EAID ECIN EWWT PREL SI
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA: SAVA RIVER BASIN INITIATIVE
REF: SECSTATE 90991

Sensitive but Unclassified. Please protect
accordingly.


1. (U) This cable responds to reftel request for
information on the status of Slovenia's commitment to
the establishment of a Permanent Sava River Basin
Commission, the implementation of its mandate, and
official representation. On 05 May, MFA State
Undersecretary and Stability Pact National Coordinator
Janez Premoze discussed reftel questions with Econoff.
Information below is keyed to questions posed in
reftel.


2. (SBU) Does the GoS remain committed to working with
the three neighboring Sava riparian states to establish
a Permanent Sava River Basin Commission?
According to Premoze, the answer is an unequivocal
"yes." The GoS will continue to move the process
forward, setting the stage for the Commission to start
as soon as possible. He remarked that Slovenia has
great interest in establishing the Commission because
it is a "forward looking project for all of the
countries" involved. Although the Sava River is not
navigable in Slovenia, Premoze pointed out that "what
happens downstream is important to us." He mentioned
that Slovenia sees the Commission serving various
purposes; a sort of "bypass used to resolve a number of
outstanding issues in a multilateral forum." Premoze
reported that Slovenian companies are eager to
participate in reconstruction projects, hoping to win
some of the tenders issued for that purpose and floated
the idea of the possible construction of a
hydroelectric power plant on the Sava.


3. (SBU) Does your government support Zagreb as the
location of the permanent Secretariat? Will your
government confirm its support via diplomatic note?
Premoze confirmed that Slovenia will support Zagreb as
the location of the permanent Secretariat as long as
the other three countries stand by their April 2004
commitments. Premoze stated that the four countries
agreed, in principle, that the Secretariat's location
would be in Zagreb; that the Commissioner would be
someone from Serbia and Montenegro; the Chairperson
would come from Bosnia; and that the agreement's
depository would be in Slovenia. He

hoped that the
four countries will have ratified the International
Agreement before the upcoming Stability Pact Meeting
scheduled to take place 06-08 June in Portoroz,
Slovenia.


4. (SBU) Who are the competent MFA authorities charged
with overseeing the Sava River Basin Initiative? Which
line ministry has authority over this issue? Who is
the appropriate working-level contact? Premoze
explained that the MFA (his Office) will take the lead
in establishing an Interministerial Working Group
responsible for issues dealing with the Sava River
Initiative [NOTE: The line ministry holding the
chairmanship is undetermined. END NOTE]. He observed
that in addition to the MFA, the Ministry of the
Economy, the Ministry of Environment, and the Ministry
of Transport will also be represented in this
Interministerial Working Group. Premoze added that the
"overall authority on the administration of the Sava
River Basin Initiative will rest with the Cabinet."


5. (SBU) Who can vest your country's delegation with
the authority to participate in the Interim Commission
meetings and make commitments? Citing his previous
responses, Premoze explained that the Cabinet will take
a final decision based on the Interministerial Working
Group recommendations. "The issues will determine
which line ministry will be in charge of staffing
meetings," Premoze said.


6. (SBU) What resources is your government willing to
dedicate to the establishment of/participation in the
Interim and Permanent Commissions? Premoze noted that
a legal experts group will draft a Administrative
Agreement dealing specifically with operational costs.
In his view, each country will contribute one-fourth of
the costs associated with running the Secretariat, and
provide one-fourth of the total. Unequivocally, he
noted that Slovenia remains "fully committed to the
agreement."



7. (SBU) Do the projects listed below submitted by the
four member states still represent your government's
priorities? Although reluctant to answer this
question, Premoze identified item 11 as the GoS's
highest priority. [NOTE: Item 11 is listed as
"Implementation of WFD -- Testing Guidance. END NOTE.]
He commented that the rest of the projects would have
to be considered specifically.


8. (SBU) COMMENT: Premoze seemed genuinely upbeat and
hopeful that a Permanent Commission will be operational
by the end of the year. In his view, this initiative
lends credibility to the Stability Pact as a means to
find solutions to common concerns. Premoze's
assessment on the feasibility and sustainability of
this initiative is influenced by his role in the
Stability Pact, as chair of one of pact's working
tables. Beyond his personal role, however, Premoze's
statements illustrate a binding thread in Slovenia's
overall security policy - the use of economic means and
business opportunities to promote regional stability
and national security in a multilateral forum. And,
the fact that the agreement protects the environment
bodes well in an environmentally conscious country.
END COMMENT.
YOUNG


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