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