Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05LJUBLJANA92
2005-02-10 11:43:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ljubljana
Cable title:  

SLOVENIA: INCREASED CONTRIBUTIONS EXPECTED FOR

Tags:  PREL PGOV MARR SI NATO 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L LJUBLJANA 000092 

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR EUR/NCE AND EUR/RPM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/09/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR SI NATO
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA: INCREASED CONTRIBUTIONS EXPECTED FOR
IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN

REF: A. LJUBLJANA IIR 6 952 0009 05


B. LJUBLJANA 0061

C. 04 LJUBLJANA 1134

D. LJUBLJANA IIR 6 952 0008 05

E. LJUBLJANA 0011

Classified By: Chief of Mission Thomas B. Robertson for reasons 1.4(b)
and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L LJUBLJANA 000092

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR EUR/NCE AND EUR/RPM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/09/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR SI NATO
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA: INCREASED CONTRIBUTIONS EXPECTED FOR
IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN

REF: A. LJUBLJANA IIR 6 952 0009 05


B. LJUBLJANA 0061

C. 04 LJUBLJANA 1134

D. LJUBLJANA IIR 6 952 0008 05

E. LJUBLJANA 0011

Classified By: Chief of Mission Thomas B. Robertson for reasons 1.4(b)
and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Building on COM's recent conversations with
PM Janez Jansa and DefMin Karl Erjavec, the snapshot below
provides new information about Slovenian contributions for
Iraq and Afghanistan and summarizes what we have reported
piecemeal in recent weeks. Slovenia may offer five or more
military trainers for NTM-I at the 10 February NATO Defense
Ministerial, in addition to a monetary contribution of EUR
100,000 announced on 09 February for the NATO Trust Fund for
Iraq. Slovenia has announced publicly its EUR 5.2 million
contribution through NATO of weapons and equipment for Iraqi
Security Forces. Finally, a GoS decision on increased ISAF
contributions is expected soon, possibly designating 2 SAF
officers to join a German-led PRT this year and contributing
to an Italian-led PRT next year. We are encouraged by the
GoS shift to a more forward leaning posture on Iraq and will
continue to press for Slovenian boots on the ground in Iraq.
END SUMMARY.


2. (C) TROOPS AND MONEY FOR NTM-I: Slovenia plans to
increase its contribution to the NATO-led Training Mission
for Iraq (NTM-I) by sending an undisclosed number of military
instructors to a third country to train Iraqi Security
Forces, according to a source on the Slovenian Armed Forces
(SAF) General Staff. DefMin Erjavec told COM on 07 February
that there would be five such trainers, and he emphasized
that this was different from the five police trainers the
Ministry of Interior now has in Jordan. Following the 09
February meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in Brussels, FoMin
Dimitrij Rupel told the press that Slovenia would provide "a
few instructors" for the Mission, in addition to contributing
EUR 100,000 to a NATO Trust Fund for financing the NTM-I. A
General Staff officer told DATT that the GoS had authorized
DefMin Erjavec to offer NATO an increased number of military
trainers over the five that had been discussed previously
(ref A) and that Erjavec mentioned to COM. Erjavec is
expected to make the offer during the 10 February meeting of
NATO Defense Ministers in Nice.


3. (C) WEAPONS FOR IRAQI SECURITY FORCES: FoMin Rupel also
made public the GoS decision to offer the Iraqi Security
Forces military gear and weapons worth roughly EUR 5 million
that has been reported previously (ref B, C). MFA Security
Policy Department's Stanislav Vidovic pegged the figure more
precisely at EUR 5.2 million. The donation will consist of
17,000 AK-47 rifles, 320 M76 sniper rifles, 128 82mm mortars,
and ammunition for each weapon type (ref D).


4. (C) POSSIBLE TROOPS FOR ISAF PRTs: FoMin Rupel told the
press on 09 February that the GoS is also considering an
increased contribution to ISAF, although he did not offer
specifics. DefMin Erjavec told COM on 07 February that
Slovenia planned to send two SAF soldiers to a German-led PRT
later this year and that the GoS would contribute to an
Italian-led PRT "next year." Zorica Bukinac Cimpersek of
MFA's Security Policy Department told Pol-Miloff on 10
February that a proposal for an increased ISAF contribution
had been put forward for Cabinet approval; however, she was
uncertain whether the proposal would be considered in the GoS
Session on 10 February or 17 February. As reported ref E,
MoD Director for Defense Policy Uros Krek expected two SAF
officers to join a German-led PRT by early April, while he
said MoD was busy drafting legislation to allow civilian
participation in PRTs, potentially by Summer 2005.


5. (C) COMMENT: PM Jansa and the GoS appear solidly
committed to shifting policy to a more forward leaning
posture on Iraq and increased involvement in Afghanistan. As
the GoS finalizes its plans to make increased contributions
for both Iraq and Afghanistan, it is talking about these
decisions to the press in an unprecedentedly positive way.
After Rupel's 09 February announcement, we will hope for a
more specific public statement from Erjavec in Nice outlining
Slovenia's contributions for Iraq. While we are encouraged
by the news of increases over the anticipated contributions


that we have reported previously, we will continue to press
aggressively for the elusive jewel in the crown of Slovenian
contributions: boots on the ground in Iraq. END COMMENT
ROBERTSON


NNNN

2005LJUBLJ00092 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL



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