SLOVENES TALK CLUSTER MUNITIONS, MANPADS, PSI, AND

S E C R E T LJUBLJANA 000079 SIPDIS SIPDIS EUR/NCE FOR SSADLE, PM/WRA FOR KBAKER, PM/RSAT FOR DOWLEY E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2017 TAGS: PARM PINR PREL MARR MASS SI SUBJECT: SLOVENES TALK CLUSTER MUNITIONS, MANPADS, PSI, AND THE CHINA ARMS EMBARGO Classified By: COM for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. MFA Security Policy Director Stanislav Vidovic told PM/WRA Director Richard Kidd on February 6 that Slovenia is willing to hear the USG position on cluster munitions, ready to follow up on MANPADS discussions, eager to test its abilities with a May PSI exercise, and solidly in support of the USG position on the Chinese arms embargo. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement Office Director Richard Kidd met on February 6 with Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Security Policy Department Director Stanislav Vidovic and MFA Director General for Bilateral Affairs Bogdan Benko. In addition to discussions about Slovenia's International Trust Fund for Demining (septel), the meetings covered a variety of other Pol/Mil issues. ¶3. (C) In regards to cluster munitions, Vidovic confirmed that the GoS is sending a delegation to Oslo in late February but noted that it was not a high-level group and that he did not see much of a future in the Oslo discussion. Vidovic said that the GoS would prefer to see the issue addressed within the constructs of the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) so that a wider group of countries is involved, though it would consider other options if necessary. He also noted that cluster munitions are mentioned in the documents of the EU Presidency Troika of Germany, Portugal, and Slovenia but said that this did not necessarily mean that it was high on the agenda for the Slovenes. Vidovic said that Slovenia would follow discussions of the issue within the EU and within NATO, that the GoS does not have a strong position on cluster munitions, but that ideally, it would like to see limited use with a guarantee of high reliability. He also noted that the GoS had ratified Protocol 5 of the CCW in December. ¶4. (S/NOFORN) Kidd renewed a discussion about the GoS stock of MANPADS that was begun at Pol/Mil talks in April 2006, reaffirming USG interest in acquiring any MANPADS that the GoS would be willing to give for testing and exploitation purposes, offering assistance to the GoS to destroy existing stocks of the obsolete SA-7, and offering stockpile security assistance to ensure that the GoS's remaining stocks of SA-16 and SA-18 MANPADS are secured at the highest levels. Vidovic acknowledged the immense dangers of MANPADS if used inappropriately, thanked Kidd for the more specific information, and promised to follow up with the Slovenian Ministry of Defense and the Prime Minister's Cabinet regarding the assistance offers and the USG request for SA-16s and SA-18s for USG testing and exploitation. Kidd also informed Vidovic of USG efforts to move countries away from man-portable air defense systems toward vehicle mounted systems to further protect against the possibility of theft and transport of this type of weapon, saying that the standard for purchasing a MANPAD from the USG is very high. ¶5. (U) Vidovic outlined progress on GoS plans for a May 2007 Proliferation Security Initiative exercise called "Adriatic Gate," saying that the interagency planning team has been assembled and a draft scenario completed. The exercise will run from May 27 to 29 in the coastal cities of Portoroz and Koper, and feature the interdiction of a container of 'dirty bomb, supplies at the Port of Koper. The Slovenian Intelligence Service, the Customs Administration, the Ministry of Interior, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will take part and the GoS plans to focus on participation from countries of the Western Balkans and Italy. Vidovic said the exercise was now getting high-level attention and that he would honcho the MFA's efforts. He felt strongly that the exercise would test Slovenia,s resources, agencies, and organization to see if they really are prepared in the field of nonproliferation. ¶6. (C) While acknowledging that Mr. Kidd is not the lead on the issue of the Chinese Arms Embargo, Vidovic hoped to pass along the message that during its EU Presidency (and during the Troika of Presidencies),Slovenia would not look for any revolutionary changes in EU policy on arms sales to China. He said that the GoS is "very aware of the importance this issue holds for the U.S." and will use all "legal procedures available" to prevent France from interfering in the current policy (though he acknowledged that France will hold the EU Presidency immediately following the Slovenes). ¶7. (C) COMMENT. Kidd's visit comes at an interesting time as Slovenia continues to work on its international policy "sea legs" and strenuously prepares for its ultimate test -- the EU Presidency -- just three and a half years after gaining admission to the body. Vidovic's comments on PSI show that Slovenia is eager to be seen not just as an observer, but as a player and even a leader on issues like nonproliferation. His effort to bring up the Chinese Arms embargo and his caution on the cluster munitions conference in Oslo show some of the first inklings post has seen that the GoS might be gaining enough confidence to step beyond its comfort zone as a follower of EU consensus to a more active role in shaping EU policy. With the prominence of the EU Presidency now unavoidable, GoS leadership seems increasingly ready to make Slovenia's voice heard. END COMMENT. Office Director Richard Kidd has cleared on this cable. ROBERTSON