Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BRATISLAVA397
2006-05-22 10:43:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Bratislava
Cable title:  

SLOVAKIA TO PARTICIPATE IN EU'S AFRICAN MISSIONS

Tags:  PREL NATO EU IZ LO 
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VZCZCXRO2581
RR RUEHIK RUEHYG
DE RUEHSL #0397 1421043
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 221043Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9852
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000397 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL NATO EU IZ LO
SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA TO PARTICIPATE IN EU'S AFRICAN MISSIONS

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000397

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL NATO EU IZ LO
SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA TO PARTICIPATE IN EU'S AFRICAN MISSIONS


1. Slovakia is sending two military officers to Sudan and
considering a contribution to a possible EU mission to Congo.
DefMin Martin Fedor confirmed publicly May 18 that Slovakia
will send two staff officers to Sudan in the coming weeks.
Fedor explained that there is a growing feeling in Europe
that countries should not shut their eyes to the situation in
Africa, and that it is better to apply a small amount of
preventive force early than to have to deal with a crisis
later on.


2. In a separate presentation to a group of Central European
political scientists Fedor's chief advisor, Rudolf Michalka,
said that a divide between NATO and the EU on such 'out of
area' missions still exists despite frequent claims by
politicians on both sides of the Atlantic that no difference
should exist. As an example of the divide, Michalka noted
that "the EU talks about the Congo, while NATO does not. NATO
talks about Afghanistan, but the EU does not."


3. Fedor also said that while nobody can predict when the
violence in Iraq will end, he is confident that Slovak troops
will be able to come home, having successfully completed
their mission, before the end of 2010.
VALLEE