SLOVAKS SATISFIED WITH CURRENT COMMISSION MANDATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000851 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/17/2015 TAGS: EAGR ETRD LO WTO SUBJECT: SLOVAKS SATISFIED WITH CURRENT COMMISSION MANDATE IN WTO REF: STATE 190730 Classified By: AMBASSADOR R.M. VALLEE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) In response to reftel, Ambassador delivered talking points and USTR fact sheets to Minister of Economy Jirko Malcharek. We separately delivered the points to Agriculture State Secretary Marian Radosovsky. Malcharek indicated that he personally would like to see far-reaching global trade liberalization, but opined that political considerations would temper the process. Malcharek did not believe that tomorrow's meeting would alter the Commission's mandate (either way) but was merely a chance for member states to communicate following the bold USTR proposal. Malcharek, who has only been on the job for a week, added that the GOS would like to take a more active role in the EU pushing for freer trade, but would not elaborate further. ¶2. (C) MFA State Secretary (Deputy Foreign Minister) Berenyi also expressed sympathy for a more flexible EU approach, but added that France and its allies, "probably the Mediterranean countries," would have enough support eventually to prevent the EU from matching the USG's bold proposal. He opined, however, that tomorrow's meeting would be only an opening discussion of the mandate issue and that a final decision would not be made until just before the December WTO Ministerial. VALLEE NNNN