GUIDANCE REQUESTED ON POSSIBLE SLOVAK ARMS SALES

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000721 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2015 TAGS: MARR MASS ECON PGOV PINR PREL LO SUBJECT: GUIDANCE REQUESTED ON POSSIBLE SLOVAK ARMS SALES Classified By: DCM Lawrence R. Silverman for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (U) This is a guidance request, please see para 2. ¶2. (S) Peter Peniaska, head of the Slovak arms firm Petina International, is seeking the USG position on potential sales of Slovak military equipment to Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The company has applied for a license with the Ministry of Economy (MOE) and has requested a decision before 12 September. Post requests guidance and information on any objections the USG would have to the transactions. We will share the information not with Peniaska, but with the licensing offices in the MFA and MOE. ¶3. (S) Petina Intentional would like to export the following military items: - 144 T-72 Tanks - 50 BVP-1 Infantry Fight Vehicles - 25 Mortars 120 mm - 3000 Mortar rounds 120 mm - Ammunition 14.5 mm, 12.7 mm 7.62x39, and 7.62x54 ¶4. (S) The license for weapons export would be valid for one year. The amount of the sale is an estimated at 500 million SK (approximately 16.3 million USD). The materials would be transported through Poland by rail and then to the Democratic Republic of the Congo or Cameroon from a Polish port. ¶5. (S) Comment: Peniaska has approached the embassy before on a number of occasions about possible arms sales in conflict zones. He and his associates have told emboffs that an informal agreement exists with the GOS that the U.S. embassy should vet sales to these areas. However, emboffs opine that silence or a nod of approval from the U.S. would be used as leverage with the GOS to obtain an otherwise shady export license. VALLEE NNNN