SLOVAKIA HAS NO REASON NOT TO BE TOUGH ON BURMA

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000125 SIPDIS SIPDIS EAP/MLS AARON COPE AND IO/UNP PAUL WICKBERG E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/20/2018 TAGS: PGOV PHUM BM LO SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA HAS NO REASON NOT TO BE TOUGH ON BURMA REF: SECSTATE 26677 Classified By: DCM Lawrence Silverman for reasons: 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (U) POLOFF delivered Reftel message to Drahomir Stos, Head of the Asia Unit at Slovakia's MFA, on March 18. Stos agreed with the U.S. message in its entirety and said Slovakia will absolutely lend its support, both publicly and privately, to UN Special Advisor Gambari. ¶2. (C) Stos explained that Slovakia does not have any commercial or cultural ties to Burma and that this is a purely political issue. Slovakia, along with its EU partners and other allies, would take a tough line on the Burmese regime. Stos explained that China supports the regime for mainly commercial reasons, and India supports the regime because they fear the crisis that would surely develop if a less autocratic regime replaced the existing one. Stos went on to describe Burma as "another Afghanistan" and "part of the world's inheritance from the British Empire." Stos estimated there are 90 or more national minorities in Burma that would quickly turn against each other if Western-style democracy were introduced tomorrow. This, he said, is why the need for "national reconciliation" is always highlighted in Western statements on Burma. OBSITNIK