SLOVAKIA UNLIKELY TO RESETTLE GUANTANAMO DETAINEES

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000195

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

S/WCI FOR CLINT WILLIAMSON, SAM MUBANGO, CATHY HARMS
EUR/PGI FOR NERISSA COOK, ALAIN NORMAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/29/2017
TAGS: PREL PTER PHUM PINR KAWC LO
SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA UNLIKELY TO RESETTLE GUANTANAMO DETAINEES

REF: A. STATE 37005


B. STATE 36991

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Lawrence R. Silverman for
reasons 1.4 b and d.


1. (C) Pol-Econ Chief delivered reftel demarches March 23 to
MFA Acting Political Director Anna Turenicova, MFA Director
for the Department of Asia, Africa and the Middle East Marion
Tomasik, and Deputy Director for the Security Policy
Department Ivan Vano. All were interested in the information

about U.S. efforts to resettle Guantanamo detainees but
non-committal about whether Slovakia would consider accepting
any detainees. The Ambassador followed-up with a written
request to Foreign Minister Jan Kubis, in order to provide
the GOS material to consider and to generate a definitive
response.


2. (C) Based on Slovak society's strongly anti-immigrant (and
especially anti-Muslim) bias, and the GOS policies of
granting refugee status to a bare minimum of applicants, we
think it unlikely that Slovakia would decide to accept any
Guantanamo detainees. (Note: In 2006, 2871 new asylum cases
were opened, 861 were rejected, 1940 cases were closed
usually because the applicants left Slovakia, and only 8
individuals were granted asylum.) We will follow-up with the
Slovaks on how they might be helpful in encouraging third
countries to do so.


3. (U) POC for this issue is Pol-Econ Section Chief Debra
Hevia.
SILVERMAN