SLOVENIA ON MARCH GAERC

C O N F I D E N T I A L LJUBLJANA 000118 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/ERA E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/01/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV ENRG KPAL SI SUBJECT: SLOVENIA ON MARCH GAERC REF: SECSTATE 23592 Classified By: COM Thomas B. Robertson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Polecon Chief delivered reftel points to MFA European Correspondent Aljaz Arih March 1, 2007. --Balkans-- Arih expected Bosnia and discussion of the extension of OHR to the be top subject in this category. On Serbia and Kosovo, Slovenia remains in agreement. --Israeli-Palestinian Issues -- The GOS welcomed the trilateral meeting Secretary Rice held last week seeing it as valuable symbolically if not in terms of concrete results achieved. Arih agreed cooperation between the US and EU was key and reiterated the EU view that Arab powers be more closely involved in the peace process. On assistance to the National Unity Government, Slovenia agrees on the need for caution and the importance of the Quartet principles, however in order for Abbas to build a viable government, some flexibility may be necessary. Slovenia fully supports the International Mechanism for the Support of the Palestinian People. --Iran-- The GAERC is expecting a briefing from Javier Solana on the latest developments on UNSC resolution 1737. In order to extend sanctions, Arih believed it would be necessary to have a new UN resolution on the table and to leave it to the P5 and Germany on how to proceed. --Sudan/Darfur-- Arih agreed on the need for urgency in getting the heavy support package out to Sudan. In terms of funding AMIS in the meantime, Arih thought the EU would use development funds for this purpose as well as call for bilateral donations. He did not think Slovenia would be able to donate individually. --Uzbekistan-- Though an agenda item, Arih thought Uzbekistan would not likely come up at the GAERC. He said they were not happy that the Uzbeks had canceled a second meeting with the EU to discuss Andijan. ROBERTSON