SLOVAKIA WON'T SEEK UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL SEAT

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000043 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR IO/RHS AND DRL/MLGA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL LO SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA WON'T SEEK UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL SEAT IN 2007 REF: STATE 6780 ¶1. (U) According to Slovak MFA Director of the Department for Human Rights Ambassador Emil Kuchar, Slovakia shares U.S. concerns about Belarus but will not seek a seat on the UN Human Rights Council for 2007. The GOS will stick with its plan to run in 2008, in part because impending staff reductions within the MFA would make it difficult for Slovakia to run for and administer an HRC seat in 2007 while simultaneously preparing for and holding the presidency of the UNSC (Feb 2007) and the chairmanship within the Council of Europe (Nov 2007 - May 2008). Kuchar strongly recommended that the USG urge the Czechs to run for the 2007 seat. He also asked if we were making the same inquiries in Yerevan, as he thinks the Armenians may be interested. ¶2. (SBU) Upon further explanation, it appeared that Kuchar's intent was to prevent the Czechs from running against the Slovaks for an HRC seat in 2008. When asked if his team had approached the Czechs about running in 2007, Kuchar said no, that he thought the message would be stronger coming from the Americans. ¶3. (SBU) A working-level contact at the MFA spoke more plainly, stating that the GOS did not want to endanger its candidacy for an HRC seat in 2008, for which they have already received pledges of support. She felt it unlikely that two new EU members would get both eastern European spots on the HRC this year. In her opinion, the Armenians have a more realistic chance of running -- and winning -- in 2007 than the Czechs. ¶4. (U) Ambassador Kuchar has been nominated to head Slovakia's mission to the Council of Europe. If he receives presidential approval, he would start his assignment in April, in time to prepare for Slovakia's six-month chairmanship of the COE's Committee of Ministers beginning in November. VALLEE