SLOVAKIA WILL NOT SUPPORT POSTPONING UN BUDGET

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000674 SIPDIS SIPDIS IO/MPR FOR DAVID LEIS, USUN/MR FOR BRUCE RASHKOW E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC UNGA XA XD LO SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA WILL NOT SUPPORT POSTPONING UN BUDGET DECISION REF: SECSTATE 168902 ¶1. Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Denisa Frelichova at the UN and International Organizations Department at MFA. Frelichova said that postponing final action on the UN budget (option A in reftel) is a "red line" for Slovakia and the EU. She said Slovakia's team in New York has a wide mandate to agree to almost any other option, and said a rollover of the budget with a minimal increase is Slovakia's preferred option. She added, however, that a seven percent increase is probably less than can be agreed given the cost of new mandates the UN Secretariat has been given in the last year. OBSITNIK