SLOVAKIA "IMPATIENT" FOR UN REFORM

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000032 SIPDIS NSC PLEASE PASS DAMON WILSON E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/13/2021 TAGS: PREL KUNR PHUM ADCO LO UN SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA "IMPATIENT" FOR UN REFORM REF: STATE 4746 Classified By: DCM Lawrence R. Silverman for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (C) DCM and Poloff delivered reftel points to State Secretary (Deputy Foreign Minister) Magda Vasaryova and UNSC SIPDIS Coordinator Marcel Pesko on January 13. Vasaryova told us that Slovakia, whose own reform history has been quite successful and relatively expeditious, is "impatient" about the pace of reform in such a large world body, but that because of its size, any reform should be appreciated. Vasaryova told us that the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) is "needed desperately" and that Slovakia is supportive of the Human Rights Council (HRC),especially in light of its past few years. Pesko said Slovakia and the EU have four main reform priorities: the establishment of the PBC, the creation of the HRC, management reform, and ECOSOC reform. ¶2. (C) Regarding the PBC, Pesko said Slovakia believes the body needs to include African countries, and that Slovakia is willing to contribute its experiences in security sector reform. Pesko said that he hoped February (and the U.S. Presidency of the UNSC) would bring solid progress on the HRC, though he is realistic about the chances of the HRC being established before March. Slovak PermRep Peter Burian has told the MFA that everyone in New York agrees that the UN is a "big elephant" that could use some shrinking, but that because such shrinking is linked to other issues, it becomes complex (especially, he noted, for Russia and China). Still, Pesko said Slovakia's position is that other UN reforms should not be held hostage to management reforms. Vasaryova reaffirmed that, when it comes to reforming the United Nations, "Slovakia is in; we are ready." VALLEE NNNN