C O N F I D E N T I A L LJUBLJANA 000743

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

PM/RSAT FOR SFURNACE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2016
TAGS: MASS SI
SUBJECT: GOS HEARS PITCH ON BLANKET END USE RETRANSFER AND
SECURITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM

REF: SECSTATE 181601

Classified By: COM for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) Embassy Ljubljana delivered reftel diplomatic note
asking the Government of Slovenia to consider joining the
USG's blanket end use retransfer and security assurance
program. A copy of the diplomatic note will be faxed to
PM/RSAT on November 16.


2. (C) PolMilOff followed up on the diplomatic note with
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Security Policy staffer Bostjan
Jerman on November 16. Jerman told PolMilOff that the MFA
was examining the note, that he had discussed it with the
Director of the MFA's North America Office Mirko Cigler, and
that the Ministry of Defense would likely take the lead on
this issue. He said that this is a lower priority issue for
Slovenia because it is pleased with the status quo end use
retransfer and security assurance process and because the
list of participating countries does not include those that
Slovenia tends to work with (he identified Germany, the
Netherlands, France and the United Kingdom specifically).
Jerman commented that Slovenia would be amenable to the
proposal if it was a NATO initiative that all member
countries participated in.


3. (U) PolMilOff will speak with Ministry of Defense
International Desk Officer Stanka Lavrih on November 17 to
discuss the proposal. Embassy will report any substantive
responses from the Government of Slovenia septel.
ROBERTSON