FICO IN IRAQ: DEMINERS WILL LEAVE BUT SLOVAKIA MAY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRATISLAVA 000703 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/I AND EUR E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON ETRD IZ LO SUBJECT: FICO IN IRAQ: DEMINERS WILL LEAVE BUT SLOVAKIA MAY CONTINUE MILITARY ROLE Classified By: Ambassador Rodolphe M. Vallee as per E.O. 12958 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. This cable contains an action request for Department of State and Department of Defense in paragraph 3 and a guidance request in paragraph 9. ¶2. (C) Summary. PM Robert Fico visited Iraq on August 17. In a press conference after his return, Fico said Slovak deminers had not been active since April 2006. He reported that Iraqi PM al-Maliki told him Iraqi forces are able to provide security in most provinces and could replace international forces. Fico nonetheless was open to the possibility, particularly in private comments, of transforming Slovakia's military mission in Iraq to take account of new realities on the ground. Fico also expressed interest in police training activities, a subject General Casey raised with him in Baghdad. In a conversation with the Ambassador on August 18, Fico and FM Jan Kubis emphasized to the Ambassador that they want to remain a strong partner and are committed to continuing to help Iraq. Fico said that a decision on Slovakia's future involvement would probably be made in December. Meanwhile, DefMin Kasicky on August 18 saw off the troops departing for Iraq to fulfill the next six-month rotation. End summary. ¶3. (C) Action request. Post requests specific and detailed options for future missions that Slovak military troops and police trainers could carry out in Iraq, including numbers and types of troops and trainers, as well as timelines and duties. Now is the time to present GoS with a concrete proposal for Slovakia's continued involvement in Iraq. The more specific we are, the more receptive the Slovaks are likely to be. The Ambassador is likely to see DefMin Kasicky the week beginning August 21. End action request. MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE VISIT -------------- ¶4. (C) Septels from Baghdad and Bratislava DAO describe the content of Fico's meetings in Iraq on August 17. Slovak media have generally portrayed the "unexpected" visit in a positive light. Slovak media noted the apparent disconnect between the message that Fico heard from Iraqi PM - that Iraqi troops are capable of replacing international troops in most provinces - and President Bush's comments yesterday that a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq would leave the country susceptible to control by terrorists prepared to use crude oil as a weapon. ¶5. (C) During a press conference upon his return, Fico said he had informed the Iraqi PM about Slovakia,s intention to withdraw its troops from Iraq and pointed out that the presence of the Slovak engineering unit is senseless as it has not been active since last April. Fico said Slovak assistance to Iraq should take a new form in future, such as assisting with construction works, engineering and the oil industry. Fico said al-Maliki responded that no security vacuum would result from the departure of Slovak troops, and he thanked Slovaks for their current work. Fico told journalists there will be another rotation of Slovak troops, since it is already to far along in the planning to be stopped. When asked when he foresees a final withdrawal of troops and their return to Slovakia, Fico said it cannot yet be specified. Fico said the Iraqi government would welcome the withdrawal of all foreign troops and Iraqi control of the Iraqi security forces. FICO'S OWN ACCOUNT TO US -------------- ¶6. (C) The Ambassador spoke to Fico and Kubis at a Hungarian National Day celebration on August 18. Before Fico arrived, Kubis told the Ambassador that he, Fico and Kasicky all agreed that it is important "to keep the Slovak flag planted in Iraq," and said he was surprised by al-Maliki's comment that Slovak troops were not needed and that the Iraqis could fulfill the mission. He said that after the next 180-day troop rotation, Slovakia is particularly interested in training missions, and that both military and police training options are on the table. ¶7. (C) Fico told the Ambassador that he had learned a lot on his trip to Iraq. Fico said it was clear that Slovak soldiers had been doing little for the last five months; that the Iraqis believe the presence of foreign troops is creating problems; and that al-Maliki had hinted that the withdrawal of Slovak troops would have no negative effect on Iraq's security. Nonetheless, Fico said, Slovakia is committed to remaining a strong partner of the U.S. and to continuing BRATISLAVA 00000703 002 OF 002 working with the U.S. to help Iraq. Fico said that the current rotation beginning August 21, would go ahead as planned; and he expected a decision on the future of Slovak troops in Iraq to be made in December. (Comment. The soldiers are expected to stay for six months, meaning a December decision would likely concern the potential February 2007 rotation. End comment.) ¶8. (C) Fico told the Ambassador that the best way to keep Slovakia involved in Iraqi security would be to help find a role for Slovak businesses in Iraq. Fico pointed out that Slovak troops have been in Iraq for three years but not a single Slovak firm has done business there. Fico also discussed this issue with Iraqi PM al-Maliki. ¶9. (C) Guidance request. Post requests guidance on how to respond regarding helping Slovak firms to find business opportunities in Iraq. End Guidance request. BIO NOTE -------------- ¶10. (SBU) The majority of public discourse on the Fico's trip to Iraq has focused on his appearance before Iraqi PM al-Maliki, and later before members of the press, in a military uniform. (Comment. The seemingly fit PM had avoided compulsory military service by acquiring a medical exception - a common practice of the relatively wealthy and/or well-connected in former times. End comment.) VALLEE