SLOVENIAN PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO IRAQ A BIG

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LJUBLJANA 000774 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/NCE E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/04/2016 TAGS: PREL SI SUBJECT: SLOVENIAN PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO IRAQ A BIG SUCCESS Classified By: COM Thomas B. Robertson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 1.(SBU) Summary. Prime Minister Janez Janasa's surprise visit to Baghdad on November 15 has played well locally despite deeply held negative views by both press and public on Iraq. During and following his visit, Jansa spoke with the press about the importance of the mission to secure peace and stability in Iraq and the belief that a precipitous withdrawal would be "utterly irresponsible." Jansa met with PM Malaki to discuss current cooperation, rekindle past commercial partnerships, and begin the process of renewing diplomatic relations. Timing issues made a meeting with President Talibani impossible. Jansa also visited four Slovene troops attached to NTM-I who were reportedly very enthusiastic about their mission with one even hoping to extend. End Summary. ¶2. (U) On November 15th Prime Minister Janez Jansa made a surprise visit to Iraq to meet with the Iraqi leadership and to visit the four Slovenian troops training Iraqi security forces at the Al Rustamiya Training Center outside of Baghdad. Jansa was accompanied by Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, Defense Minister Karl Erjavec, and Slovenian Armed Forces Chief-of-Staff Major General Albin Gutman. The trip was made in conjunction with a planned visit to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait that focused on foreign and economic relations. -------------- REKINDLING OLD TIES -------------- ¶3. (C) According to Andrej Rahten, Jansa's chief foreign policy advisor, who was also on the trip, PM Jansa's meeting with PM Maliki was extended (40 minutes) and very friendly. Rahten said "almost the entire Iraqi Government was there." Maliki was well-briefed on Slovenia's assistance to Iraq, including the four military trainers at NTM-I, and he remembered with appreciation Iraq's previous cooperation with Yugoslavia and the presence of Yugoslav companies in Iraq some years ago. In fact, FM Rupel and the Iraqi FM know each other from Yugoslav days. Maliki called for reestablishing bilateral diplomatic relations. Jansa agreed that the process should begin and he invited Maliki and all of the Iraqi Ministers to visit Slovenia to work on areas of mutual cooperation and to promote business relations. Maliki expressed appreciation for the four Slovenian military trainers and said that Iraq needs further help with stabilization. ¶4. (C) The delegation also visited the NATO military training center and met with the four Slovene trainers. Rahten expressed appreciation for the very informative power point briefing they received. Rahten also reported that the four Slovenian soldiers were up-beat, and that one had mentioned a desire to extend for another nine months. CHOD Gutman stayed to have lunch with the trainers at the facility. ¶5. (C) The delegation was supposed to meet with President Talibani, but the US military liaison office told the party that they would have to depart earlier in the afternoon than originally planned. Rahten highly praised the assistance, competence and cooperative spirit of the US liaison office. He said that PM Jansa was deeply impressed by the visit and felt that he had made a real connection with Maliki. -------------- COMMITTED TO THE MISSION -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Upon his return, PM Jansa sent COM a letter to thank him for the support of the US Embassy in Ljubljana and all USG personnel in Iraq and along the way who made his trip possible. In the letter, he also expressed his personal continuing support for the work of the Alliance in Iraq: "United, democratic, and prosperous Iraq, capable of providing sustainable security to all its inhabitants remains high on the agenda shared by Slovenia and the (the) United States of America as allies in NATO. In Baghdad, I had a chance to see with my own eyes what an important job the Alliance is doing in helping to bring about this objective. This has only been additionally confirmed by the meeting with Slovenian instructors involved in the NTM-I and hearing their LJUBLJANA 00000774 002 OF 002 first hand experience." ¶7. (C) Comment: Since PM Jansa took office two years ago, the Government of Slovenia has responded consistently and positively to requests for money, materiel and personnel for Iraq. Though Slovenia's troop contingent is very small, it is meaningful, particularly for Slovenia itself. Embassy Ljubljana echoes PM Jansa's thanks for all who were involved and made his trip a success. The strong new connections made between Slovenian and Iraqi leaderships will accrue dividends for our shared goals in Iraq in the months and years to come. End Comment. ROBERTSON