FM KUBIS ON KOSOVO, MD AND ISAF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRATISLAVA 000368 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2015 TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS YI KO RU UNSC PHUM LO SUBJECT: FM KUBIS ON KOSOVO, MD AND ISAF REF: A. BRATISLAVA 275 ¶B. BRATISLAVA 236 Classified By: Ambassador Rodolphe M. Vallee for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d ) ¶1. (C) Summary/introduction: In a frank, productive 60-minute conversation June 20, FM Jan Kubis told the Ambassador: - Slovakia must have a UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) in order to recognize Kosovo, but allowed that a mission under the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) might be possible even without Slovakia's support. - He appreciated the U.S. reaction to the Russian offer of cooperation on Missile Defense (MD) and said there should be little further criticism of MD in Slovakia now that NATO has given its tacit blessing. - Slovakia is in the "pre-initial" phase of working out what assets to contribute to ISAF when their current mission in Kandahar ends in Summer 2008. - PM Robert Fico will attend "The Croatia Summit 2007" in Dubrovnik on July 6-7. End summary/introduction. KOSOVO -------------- ¶2. (C) Kubis said a UNSCR is a "must-have" for Slovakia to recognize an independent Kosovo or support an EU Common Position, but that Slovakia would never block an ESDP mission for Kosovo. Kubis is pleased with the latest (June 20) version of the draft UNSCR on Kosovo and said that sacrificing "sui generis" language would be "a price Slovakia is willing to pay for a UN resolution" that the Russians will not veto. ¶3. (C) If a UNSCR is vetoed by Russia, Kubis predicted that the "courage and wisdom to move forward" exists in the EU, but that doing so on a legal basis will be a dilemma for lawyers to work out. Kubis said he has clearly warned the U.S. and EU partners that unilateral action is the worst case scenario. Without a UNSCR, Slovakia and other unnamed EU Member States would be unable to support an EU Common Position on Kosovo or to recognize independence. Such recognition would have of no chance of surviving an assault within the Slovak Parliament. Kubis predicted that recognition by the U.S. or EU partners without a UNSCR would lead to a split in the EU that could threaten any ESDP Mission to Kosovo, but that Slovakia would not be the Member State that blocked an ESDP mission for Kosovo. ¶4. (C) Kubis said the read-out he had received from the recent Quint meeting in Paris indicated that "no unilateral action will be taken." "We need Russia for a Security Council Resolution - and we (Slovakia) need a resolution." ¶5. (C) Kubis said that German Chancellor Merkel had "intervened" with PM Fico regarding a new proposal for Kosovo the PM had addressed in a letter to her and that this issue was no longer on the table. According to Kubis the only draft papers still being considered for discussion by the European Council contain no surprises. ¶6. (SBU) Kubis was very grateful for the close cooperation between the U.S. and Slovak Missions to the UN and appreciated the concern the U.S. had shown for Slovak proposals and sensitivities. MISSILE DEFENSE -------------- ¶7. (C) Kubis said the recent visit of U.S. experts on MD was appreciated and helpful. He has seen that the visit built confidence and created political support within both MFA and MOD for MD. Kubis was obviously nonplussed that Slovakia had been unable to host a classified briefing on MD for lack of an appropriate conference room, but he assured the Ambassador that the embarrassment had inspired his staff and that MFA would have an approved room built as soon as possible. ¶8. (C) Kubis was pleased with the Russian offer to host MD assets in Azerbaijan and the U.S. response to the offer - which Kubis suggested was likely thought out by the U.S. side in advance. Kubis said he - and everyone else - understood that the Russian offer was a political one and not a practical substitute for the radar in the Czech Republic. Still, the offer put forward an implicit Russian acknowledgment of the Iranian threat and demonstrated that BRATISLAVA 00000368 002 OF 002 the U.S. is genuinely willing to cooperate with Russia. Because of this, Kubis said he is now able to say "with clear eyes" that Slovakia supports the U.S. MD plans. Kubis predicted that we "shouldn't be hearing too many more statements on MD from politicians in Slovakia." (Comment. We don't think PM Fico has the discipline to contain himself. End comment.) AFGHANISTAN - ISAF -------------- ¶9. (C) Slovakia is in the "pre-initial" stage of considering what contribution it will make to ISAF upon the completion of its current mission at the airport in Kandahar in Summer ¶2008. Kubis said that embedding soldiers in an OMLT is just one option under consideration but that it is still "way too early" to get into any specifics. Kubis suspected that press reports of a Slovak commitment to embed trainers in ISAF had confused Slovakia with Slovenia. ¶10. (C) Kubis said that Slovak Ambassador to NATO Igor Slobodnik has discussed various concepts with PM Fico, President Gasparovic and himself. Kubis said he has told the PM that concrete options should be identified internally as soon as possible so that they can be examined "fully and from each angle" before a political decision is made. (Comment. Slobodnik had told Ambassador previously that he would discuss options for Slovak contributions to ISAF with the PM directly, rather than with the Defense Minister Frantisek Kasicky, since only the PM could make these decisions. Kubis' failure to mention Kasicky among the people that Slobodnik has consulted suggests he may be trying to have a decision reached above the DefMin's level. End comment.) Kubis said that he and Slobodnik are hoping to be ready with an implementable option immediately when the Slovak engagement in Kandahar ends next Summer. (Comment. We read all of this as the amount of time Kubis and Slobodnik think they need to bring PM Fico around. End comment.) JAN SLOTA -------------- ¶11. (SBU) The Ambassador put Kubis on notice that the U.S. was displeased by recent statements by Jan Slota, Head of the ruling coalition Slovak National Party (SNS),who claimed that the U.S. was involved in the politically-charged assault case of an ethnic-Hungarian student (Ref B). The Ambassador told Kubis that we had spoken to the PM's office and to the SNS Spokesman, and let them know that if Slota chooses to drag the U.S. into what should be a court-driven, domestic issue, we will respond publicly. ¶12. (C) Kubis said that he will not respond to all of Slota's statements since doing so would serve Slota's interests. He said that his opinion of Slota should be clear enough from his past statements, but emphasized that "this person does not express the views of my government or my country. Full stop." Kubis said that Slota is the Slovak equivalent of the Hungarian Fidesz MP Zsolt Nemeth. UNHCR AND BELARUS -------------- ¶13. (U) Kubis said that Slovakia has been consistent in its position on Belarus and Cuba, and will continue to support democratic change from its new position on the UN Human Rights Council. PM TO ATTEND CONFERENCE -------------- ¶14. (SBU) PM Robert Fico will attend "The Croatia Summit 2007" in Dubrovnik on July 6-7 and will then stay in Croatia for two weeks of vacation. Kubis will inform PM Fico that A/S Fried also plans to attend the conference. VALLEE