SLOVAKIA SUPPORTS BINDING UNSCR ON BURMA

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000504 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL, PHUM, UNSC, BU, LO SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA SUPPORTS BINDING UNSCR ON BURMA REF: STATE 125430 ¶1. (SBU) Poloff delivered reftel points to Ambassador Vladimir Lomen at MFA's UN Security Council Coordination unit on September 10. Lomen confirmed that Slovakia's position remains as indicated in reftel. Instructions will be sent to the Slovak Mission in New York to support an informal briefing by Special Envoy Gambari on September 20 and a formal briefing upon his return from Burma. ¶2. (SBU) Slovakia will also support a binding resolution holding Burma accountable for recent human rights violations in accordance with a resolution of the European Parliament passed on September 6, 2007. The resolution calls upon all EU Member States on the Security Council to act in a coordinated manner in support of a special session on Burma and a binding resolution. Lomen laughed at the idea of a binding resolution surviving Chinese and Russian vetoes, but held out some hope that a united EU and U.S. stand might bring at least Russia around to supporting a special session. ¶3. (SBU) Slovakia's MFA will issue a press release signaling its support for the European Parliament's resolution on Burma at 15h00 local time on September 10. VALLEE