SLOVAKS UNOPPOSED TO OEF-ISAF MERGER

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000049 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2015 TAGS: MARR PREL LO NATO SUBJECT: SLOVAKS UNOPPOSED TO OEF-ISAF MERGER Classified By: CDA Scott N. Thayer for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) (C) Lubomir Cano, Director of the Security Policy Department at the MFA, and Vladimir Jakabcin, Director of the Defense Policy and International Relations Department at the MOD, told emboffs the GOS will not oppose merging ISAF and Operation Enduring Freedom. However, Cano said the GOS does not have enough information about the military and legal consequences of such a merger to support the merger currently. He expects the debate to be contentious within the Alliance, especially over the role of a combat mandate for NATO troops. THAYER NNNN