SLOVENIA'S EU PRESIDENCY: THE CHALLENGES OF

UNCLAS LJUBLJANA 000639 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL SI SUBJECT: SLOVENIA'S EU PRESIDENCY: THE CHALLENGES OF COVERING ASIA REF: LJUBLJANA 624 ¶1. (SBU) On October 2, CDA met with Ambassador Janez Premoze, Head of the COASI Working Group at the MFA Division for Asia, Africa, and the Pacific, to deliver a demarche on keeping pressure on the Burmese regime. The ensuing discussion revealed that Slovenia has very few diplomatic resources in Asia. Slovenia's representation in Asia and the Pacific region is limited to embassies in Beijing, Tokyo, New Delhi, and Canberra. French embassies will serve as EU presidency hosts in those countries where Slovenia does not have diplomatic representation. The MFA's COASI Working Group is limited to Premoze and four diplomats, although a British diplomat will be seconded to the group in December. ¶2. (U) Outlining Slovenia's EU Presidency priorities for Asia, Premoze stated that although Beijing will likely be the focal point, Taiwan will also command attention due to its upcoming presidential elections in March. The major events taking place in Asia during Slovenia's turn at the Presidency will be the EU-Japan Summit in Tokyo and the Ministerial Troikas with Pakistan and India. ¶3. (SBU) In addition to resource limitations on Slovenia's ability to advance the EU agenda in Asia, Premoze also noted the difficulty in finding consensus amongst EU members, often due to China's success at undermining EU unity by directing efforts at individual members. Premoze stated that US-EU Strategic Dialogues on Asia have been very helpful. CDA offered informal dialogues via DVC in advance of the US-EU Strategic Dialogue or at any other time. ¶4. (SBU) Bio Note: Premoze has spent the past five years of his diplomatic career in the Western Balkans as National Coordinator of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe and the Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI). Previously he was Slovenia's Ambassador to Japan and Korea (residing in Tokyo). From 1983-85 he pursued graduate studies at Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo and worked as the Chief Representative of the Ljubljanska Banka from 1986-92 in the Japanese capital. His wife is a native of Japan. COLEMAN