SLOVENIA ON FEBRUARY 21 GAERC

C O N F I D E N T I A L LJUBLJANA 000112

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR EUR/ERA, EUR/NCE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2015
TAGS: PREL KPAL IR UP MD SU CG SR BK SI
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA ON FEBRUARY 21 GAERC

REF: SECSTATE 25111

Classified By: COM Thomas B. Robertson Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

1.(C) Summary. Polecon Chief met with Mary Veronika Tovsak
of the Department for European Integration on February 16 and
discussed reftel points. Of the items raised, Tovsak was
most engaged on the topics of the Western Balkans, European
Neighborhood policy, and the Sudan, where Tovsak said
Slovenia supported use of the ICC rather than ICTR for trying
war criminals. On February 15, during a lunch hosted by DCM,
Tovsak and her boss, Ambassador Marija Adanja, Director of
the Department for European Integration, expressed cautious
support for an EU presence in Baghdad. End Summary.


2. (C) BOSNIA/CROATIA: As we have seen in our GAERC
discussions, the Balkans is an area where Slovenia has been
able to define its interests. Tovsek expressed the GOS'
strong support for HR Ashdown's work and the critical
importance for cooperation with ICTY across the region.
Acknowledging that Croatia's proven cooperation was important
and the International Community (IC) had to be consistent,
she seemed concerned that this would be the only and
unavoidable obstacle to starting Croatia's EU accession talks.


3. (C) KOSOVO: We have seen FM Rupel's engagement increase
significantly on Kosovo both bilaterally and as CiO of the
OSCE. According to Tovsak, FM Rupel is likely to speak on
this topic at the February 21 GAERC. She said the GOS agreed
it was important to encourage the Kosovars to implement
"standards" but the IC must start discussion of future
"status." Keeping in mind that certain principles are
non-negotiable, i.e. respect for minorities, maintenance of
borders etc. Postponing discussion of status, however, could
provoke radical elements which would be very destabilizing.
Tovsak said Rupel would be using his role as CiO to try to
find a way to bring Serbs in Belgrade and in Kosovo,
constructively, into the dialogue. She also stressed this as
an area of important trans-Atlantic cooperation, citing U.S.
pressure on the Serbs as crucial. (Note. Tovsak suggested
Kosovo would be a topic Rupel would want to raise with
Secretary Rice in a future, as-yet-undetermined, meeting. End

SIPDIS
Note)

4.(C) SERBIA and MONTENEGRO: Tovsak said it was important
to get Serbia and Montenegro to cooperate fully with the ICTY
and she thought the EU might need to think of incentives such
as speeding up the feasibility study for the Stabilization
and Assistance program. Despite the complexity of this
issue, Tovsak reiterated Slovenia's strong belief that
resolution of war crimes issues was crucial for regional
reconciliation.


5. (C) EUROPEAN NEIGHBORHOOD/UKRAINE: Tovsak said the GOS is
on board with current EU plans of engagement with Ukraine.
She added that when the time came, Slovenia would also
support Ukraine's accession to the EU - but this was in the
distant future. She hoped Ukraine would see the current
Action Plan as an "upgrade" in relations and that it would
understand the need to make reforms before jumping to
discussion of EU membership. She thought that in a year they
could upgrade to an "enhanced" agreement. Acknowledging that
the new leadership in Ukraine needed something concrete to
show the voters, Tovsak hoped that Ukraine would have
realistic expectations and would not promise the public more
than the EU was able to give at this time. She said it was
important for Ukraine to understand it did not need to choose
between Russia and the EU especially since it has historical
links and market with Russia and CIS counties. Tovsak also
said that Ukraine needed to be involved constructively in
solving the Trans Nistrian problem.


6. (SBU) MOLDOVA: According to Tovsak, the EU is discussing
the terms for an EU special representative to Moldova who
would be in place after March elections, a move which
Slovenia supports.


7. (SBU) ICC/ICTR: Slovenia supports the use of the ICC for
trying war criminals from Sudan. She suggested that the ICTR
was created prior to the existence of the ICC, but now that
the ICC existed, this is where these trials belong.


8. (C) EU PRESENCE IN BAGHDAD: In a lunch hosted by DCM on
February 15, Director of the Department for European
Integration, Ambassdor Marija Adanja, said that in prinicple,
the EU was aware it needed to establish representation in
Baghdad. Adanja couched her support for this plan in the

need for greater security first.
ROBERTSON


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2005LJUBLJ00112 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL



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