SLOVENIA IN ADVANCE OF NOVEMBER GAERC

C O N F I D E N T I A L LJUBLJANA 000800

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/22/2015
TAGS: PREL ETRD SI
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA IN ADVANCE OF NOVEMBER GAERC

REF: STATE 208899

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


1. (U) PolEcon Chief met with GOS European Correspondent
Peter Grk to discuss reftel points November 18.


2. (U) Defense Issues: Grk appreciated USG views on the
relationship between the European Defense Agency and NATO.
As a small country, it is particularly interested in ensuring
no duplication of effort and good cooperation.


3. (C) Iraq: Grk thought Iraq, Iran and the MEPP would be
the subjects of the lunch meeting. He said the EU was
interested in improving its role in Iraq but was not sure if
the Foreign Ministers would get into the specifics of
offering election monitors.


4. (C) Iran: On Iran, Grk expressed GOS concern about
recent decisions by the Iranian government on enrichment and
thought there might also be some focus on a human rights
related declaration on the margins of the GAERC. (Note.
Slovenia has a mission in Teheran).


5. (C) MEPP: Based on Head of Missions reports out of Tel
Aviv (where Slovenia has a mission) that he expected would be
circulated at the GAERC, Grk thought there would be a lively
discussion on next steps. He said Slovenia was considering
contributing police experts to an EU initiative.


6. (C) Ukraine, Belarus: Ukraine has been mentioned as a
potential mediator and/or "point of entry" for the EU with
Belarus. However, the GOS agrees that Ukraine should not be
a solo actor and needs to coordinate its moves with the EU
and US. Grk added that uncoordinated contacts only help
Lukashenko. Involving Russia constructively on this issue is
paramount.


7. (C) Bosnia: While Grk agreed that a "European
perspective" was a great motivator for the western Balkans,
and that Slovenia was one of the champions of this approach,
we must be careful about any changes to Dayton so as not to
"upset the equilibrium." He thought the recent experience of
police reform was a good and practical example of how
progress can be made. On the new OHR representative, Grk
said Slovenia had not decided which candidate to support. He
added that while it is clear the EU will be taking on a large
role, it was important to work to the goal of local ownership
of institutions that would result in a self sustainable state.


8. (C) Kosovo: Grk thought Kosovo was not on the agenda
for this meeting, but that Ahtisaari seemed to be the right
man for the job. He expected negotiations would be difficult
and said that "final status has to be earned." Grk hoped
this could be done by the end of 2006.


9. (C) WTO: Grk said that at the last GAERC everyone had
restated their positions on Hong Kong and no progress was
made. He did not have much hope for this GAERC moving things
forward. He said that while Slovenia's interest in the CAP
was limited, it would not break ranks within the EU. He
added that the GOS agreed with France on the need for more
transparency from the Commission trade negotiator.

ROBERTSON


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