PARLIAMENT LEADER HRUSOVSKY'S APRIL VISIT TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000251

SIPDIS


NSC FOR FRIED/WILSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2025
TAGS: PREL PINR LO
SUBJECT: PARLIAMENT LEADER HRUSOVSKY'S APRIL VISIT TO
WASHINGTON AND MIAMI

Classified By: CDA SCOTT N. THAYER FOR REASONS 1.4 (b, d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: The April visit of a Slovak parliamentary
delegation led by Speaker Pavol Hrusovsky will be a useful
opportunity to press our agenda on Iraq, minority rights,
religious registration, and while coordinating on areas
where we already agree like trafficking and Cuba. Hrusovsky
has ambitious appointment requests which need not be
fulfilled in their entirety. END SUMMARY


2. (SBU) Charge and Pol-Econ Chief met March 23 with
Chairman of the National Council of the Slovak Republic
(Parliament) Pavol Hrusovsky about his upcoming visit to the
U.S. Hrosovsky plans to arrive in Washington April 17, then
go on to Miami on April 22. He wants to follow-up on the
momentum created by President Bush's February 24 visit to
Slovakia to discuss policy areas where Slovakia and the U.S.
have common goals, for example Cuban human rights. Hrusovsky
also plans to lobby Congress on issues such as visa
legislation and the coalition support fund. Hrusovsky is
chairman of the conservative Christian Democratic Movement
(KDH); representatives of four other parties in Parliament
will accompany Hrusovsky:

-- Pavol Kubovic, MP for the Slovak Democratic and Christian
Union (SDKU),Vice-Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee and
Mayor of the Bratislava neighborhood of Ruzinov;
-- Laszlo Nagy, MP for the Party of the Hungarian Coalition
(SMK),Chair of the Committee on Human Rights;
--Robert Kalinak, MP for the opposition party Smer, Chair of
the Commission on Defense and Security;
-- Tibor Cabaj, MP and recently-appointed caucus leader for
the opposition party Movement for a Democratic Slovakia
(HZDS).


3. (C) Legislature: Hrusovsky, through the Slovak embassy in
Washington and the International Republican Institute, has
requested several meetings on Capitol Hill on April 20:

Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL) (apparently confirmed)
Cong. John Mica (R-FL)
Cong. Chris Smith (R-NJ)
Cong. Tom DeLay (R-TX)
Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL) (Hrusovksy is most likely to meet
him in Miami)
Sen Joseph Lieberman (D-CT)
Sen John McCain (R-AZ)
Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS)

Note: Smith and Brownback co-chair the Commission on
Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission),
which has called Slovakia to task on issues such as religious
registration, Roma rights, and anti-Semitism. The Department
should strongly encourage such a meeting, followed by a
longer, more in-depth session between CSCE staff and
accompanying staff. .


4. (C) Executive Branch: Within the administration, Hrusovsky
is requesting meetings with Secretary Rice, NSC Director
Hadley, and Vice President Cheney, or with their designated
representatives. Although Hrusovsky had a meeting with Vice
President Cheney in 2002 which included a drop-by by the
President, the most appropriate would be with NSA Hadley, his
deputy, or the senior director for Europe.


5. (U) Think Tanks: Hrusovsky can be a thoughtful, articulate
speaker. Charge encouraged him to do a public program about
Slovakia, perhaps sponsored by a the Center for Strategic and
International Studies, the American Enterprise Fund, or the
Heritage Foundation.


6. (C) NGOs: A devout Catholic, Hrosovsky should visit
faith-based organizations delivering services to
disadvantaged groups. The IRI representative resident in
Slovakia is working to arrange this part of the program.
Given the KDH's wary view of immigrants in Slovakia, we have
recommended that IRI include a group working with resettled
refugees or other immigrant communities in the Washington
area. In addition, Charge proposed a meeting with the
American Jewish Community, to share information on Slovak
efforts to combat anti-Semitism and hear U.S. concerns about
growing intolerance in parts of Europe. This is an area
where the KDH's bona fides are weak.


7. (SBU) Hrusovsky expressed interest in laying a wreath at
an appropriate site to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of
the end of World War II. The most appropriate would be the
Iwo Jima memorial, since one of the participants in that
flag-raising was a Slovak-American.


8. (SBU) Hrusovsky also plans to take his delegation to
Miami for meetings with Sen. Mel Martinez and the Cuban


community.


9. (C) Comment: Hrusovsky made no attempt to hide his public
displeasure that President Bush did not have a private
meeting with him, and he sees this visit as a way to
reestablish his domestic political standing, possibly at the
expense of Prime Minsiter Dzurinda, for whom he has no love
lost. Nevertheless, he truly wants his visit to the U.S. to
be productive in advancing the bilateral relationship. The
focus on explaining Slovakia to Capitol Hill and deepening
congressional relations is appropriate. The mix of parties
and personalities in the group of five MPs will help keep the
trip focused on policy issues rather than on Slovakia's
highly-personal internal politics. Hrusovsky can be very
stubborn, but when his resolve works to promote areas where
we have a common viewpoint, such as Cuba, he can be very
effective in moving other members Slovakia's governing
coalition. He and others in his party could better serve
Slovakia by learning more about the merits of "diversity,"
both in terms of religion and immigration.
THAYER


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