SLOVAKIA FY 2005 COALITION SOLIDARITY FUND

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000566

SIPDIS


FOR PM/PPA SCOTT KWAK

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MASS PREL PARM LO
SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA FY 2005 COALITION SOLIDARITY FUND
ALLOCATION

REF:STATE 120737


1. On July 15, 2005, Post received a response to Reftel
inquiry regarding Slovakia's plans for allocating the 2005
Coalition Solidarity Fund disbursement. In a letter from
Jozef Zufka of the Military Planning and Resource
Management Section of the Ministry of Defense, Slovakia
states its wish to purchase the following:

1) Equipment for Explosive Ordinance Disposal / Center of
Excellence project to upgrade facilities in NOVAKY
according to NATO standards:
- EOD simulative technology and equipment for special
training and teaching
PRICE: USD 3 million

2) Biological Aerosol Warning System (BAWS) 1 set.
PRICE: USD 3 million

TOTAL VALUE OF EQUIPMENT REQUESTED: USD 6 million

n


2. Slovakia has contingents in both Iraq and Afghanistan
that are conducting demining operations, and the Ministry
has expressed its desire to further develop EOD as a "niche
capability" within NATO. The Ministry of Defense believes
that the equipment outlined in item 1 above will help it
expedite this development. The Slovak Armed forces is
developing Nuclear, Chemical and Biological (NBC) Defense
as another niche capability. Item 2 will increase the
overall capabilities of Slovakia's forces and allow it to
meet NBC detection requirements, providing critical
protection to troops fighting the Global War on Terrorism.

THAYER


NNNN