SLOVENIA ON US-EU AIR SERVICES AGREEMENT

UNCLAS LJUBLJANA 000884 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/NCE, EB/TRA/BYERLY and EB/TRA/OTP/WALKLET E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR ETRD ECON SI SUBJECT: SLOVENIA ON US-EU AIR SERVICES AGREEMENT REF: A) SECSTATE 219034 B) NYLIN-WALKLET 20 DECEMBER PHONE CALL ¶1. (U) Econoff delivered ref A points 15 December to Jozef Slana, head of the Slovene Ministry of Transport's Civil Aviation Directorate. Slana said that Slovenia was not participating in the U.S.-EU negotiations, as there are no direct flights between the U.S. and Slovenia. Slana said, however, that Slovenia "supports the current direction" of the negotiations. ¶2. (U) Comment: Slovenia's only airline, Adria Airways, operates flights only within Europe and does not have any plans to expand services to the U.S. nor the fleet with which to do so. During the meeting with Econoff, Slana expressed a desire for a U.S.-Slovenia bilateral air services agreement, saying that this could "help create the possibility" for direct flights in the future. Slana understands, however, that the USG will not be pursuing a separate agreement with Slovenia and that it is in Slovenia's best interest to support the broader U.S.-EU accord. End Comment. ROBERTSON NNNN