MOD PROPOSES ADDING AFGHANISTAN TO JULY 22 AGENDA

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000538

SIPDIS


SENSITIVE

STATE FOR EUR, PM/ISO, PM/RSAT, PM/PMAT, NEA/I, AND SA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MARR MOPS PREL AF LO
SUBJECT: MOD PROPOSES ADDING AFGHANISTAN TO JULY 22 AGENDA

REF: A. STATE 111082


B. BRATISLAVA 352

C. BRATISLAVA 458

D. BRATISLAVA 469


1. (SBU) Action request: The Slovak Ministry of Defense would
like to add to the agenda of Ambassador Jones' July 22
pol-mil talks on Iraq discussion on Slovak intentions to end
participation in OEF and join ISAF in Afghanistan. Please
advise if the team from Washington will be prepared to
discuss this issue with the Slovaks. End action request.


2. (SBU) Vladimir Jakabcin, Director General for Defense
Policy and International Relations at the Slovak Ministry of
Defense sent the following letter to the Charge, received on
8 July, 2005.

Dear Sir (Scott):

The Slovak Republic, through its involvement in Operation
Enduring Freedom and NATO-led International Security
Assistance Force in Afghanistan (hereinafter "ISAF"),
strongly supports the effort of international communities to
establish a secure and stabile situation in Afghanistan.

The idea for greater synergy between the Operation Enduring
Freedom under the leadership of the United States, which has
been there since the aftermath of September 11th to fight the
Taliban and the al-Qaeda terrorist elements, and the expanded
ISAF role in the hands of NATO is endorsed by the Slovak
government.

Contemporary (current) activities of the Slovak unit deployed
within Operation Enduring Freedom have to be re-evaluated,
and we are in the process of finding an appropriate place for
subsumption into ISAF structures. Our intention is to finish
our participation in OEF by the end of this year and to join
the ISAF operation by the beginning of the next year. To
receive your attitude (opinion) to this approach would be
highly appreciated.

With the intention to discuss all possible questions which
could arise from this intended transformation, I propose to
include this topic into the agenda of talks between the
Slovak MoD and the US civ/mil Team on Iraq which will take
place in Bratislava on 22nd of July.

With respect,

Vladimir Jakabcin /s/


THAYER


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