SLOVAK PRIME MINISTER, IN AFGHANISTAN, PLEDGES

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BRATISLAVA 000790

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR EUR/NCE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/27/2026
TAGS: PGOV PREL AF IZ LO
SUBJECT: SLOVAK PRIME MINISTER, IN AFGHANISTAN, PLEDGES
CONTINUED TROOP PRESENCE


Classified By: DCM Lawrence R. Silverman for Reason 1.4(B) and (D).


1. (S) SUMMARY: Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico traveled
to Afghanistan on September 27 to meet with NATO/ISAF
commanders and Afghan officials to discuss Slovakia's future
military contributions to Afghan reconstruction. The one day
trip included Slovakia's Ministers of Defense and Interior
(COMMENT: The Minister of the Interior was ostensibly there
to explore the possibility of conducting police training,
although it is more likely he was on a "boys with toys" trip
after being passed over for the position as Minister of
Defense in July. END COMMENT). Slovakia, which currently
has an engineering unit and 16 deminers active at Kabul
International Airport, agreed to a NATO request to redeploy
to the southern city of Kandahar to participate in a broader
reconstruction effort to involve both horizontal and vertical
construction, but requested additional support with FORCE
protection. The trip resulted in comprehensive press
coverage, including media-friendly images of the Prime
Minister -- in military uniform -- engaging in a lively
pick-up soccer game with Slovak troops. It also likely
reinforced a political strategy Fico seems to be developing,
in which increased Slovak efforts and attention on
Afghanistan seeks to affirm the new government's commitment
to the international community, while making good on Fico's
campaign promise to withdraw a demining unit from Iraq. END
SUMMARY.

WHAT THE PRIME MINISTER HEARD
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2. (C) In meetings with ISAF commanders in the field, Fico
became familiar with the role Slovakia's 56 demining and
engineering troops have played in securing and rebuilding
Kabul's international airport. ISAF is moving to the
northern side of the runway to permit the further development
of commercial AIR activities on the southern side, an
important contribution to the country's economic
redevelopment. Despite the progress that has been made and
estimates that the demining of Kabul's airport will be
completed in December, ISAF commanders told the PM that the
effort to secure and rebuild Afghanistan's critical
infrastructure will likely take years.


3. (C) Much of the discussion with ISAF officials revolved
around the redeployment of Slovak troops to Kandahar to
participate in broader engineering and construction efforts.
Slovak troops told the visitors that they are concerned that
the proposed redeployment to Kandahar will raise significant
force protection issues, as their current vehicles --lightly
armored at best -- offer nearly no protection to troops
traveling outside military bases. Slovakia will explore
deploying additional "Alligator" armored vehicles, and ISAF
has already committed to assisting with FORCE protection
during transit to Kandahar (which would be done by air, to
minimize exposure to ambush). The unit will also likely be
staffed up to the company level (100-120 troops) when moved
to Kandahar.

SLOVAKIA FLOATS POSSIBILITY OF POLICE TRAINING...
-------------- --------------


4. (S) During several meetings, Fico introduced his
longtime political ally Robert Kalinak, Minister of Interior,
as being there to explore the possibility of Slovak police
officers participating in support or training for Afghan
police. This idea -- which has never been mentioned before
-- is not likely credible; it is more likely that Kalinak,
who sought the position as Minister of Defense following the
elections, came along on the trip because of his sheer
personal interest in a "cool trip." In fact, Kalinak -- who
is not a pilot -- was allowed to take the controls of the
Prime Minister's aircraft on the return flight from Kabul to
Bratislava.

...AND THE DONATION OF MORE MATERIEL
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5. (C) Slovak officials also received thanks and praise
from Afghan officials for their donation of materiel (with
USG transport assistance) to Afghan security forces.
Slovakia has yet to transfer 40,000 artillery rounds to
Afghanistan, but the PM and his staff mentioned that they
stand ready to donate additional materiel -- including

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ammunition and 10,000 Kalashnikov rifles -- to the country.

COMMENT: THE VIEW FROM PLANET FICO
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6. (S) PM Fico told ISAF commanders that he was impressed
by how "safe" Iraq seemed during his visit there, and that
recent reports of increased suicide and IED attacks in
Afghanistan make him believe the country is more dangerous
than Iraq. The commanders, clearly at a loss for a response,
described Afghanistan generally as a larger country with a
larger population and fewer roads and transportation
infrastructure. Fico repeatedly told interlocutors that he
keeps hearing "what a great job" Slovak troops in Afghanistan
are doing, while expressing his belief that troops in Iraq
are not being used efficiently. It appears that Fico has
adapted his worldview to justify withdrawal of the deminers
from Iraq next year and deployment of additional forces to
Afghanistan, in order to make good on his campaign promises
while at the same time demonstrating "sophistication" and
engagement to the international community. END COMMENT.
VALLEE