SLOVAKIA WILL WEIGH POST-REFERENDUM STATEMENT ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000206 SIPDIS EAP/MLS FOR AARON COPE E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2013 TAGS: PGOV PHUM BM LO SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA WILL WEIGH POST-REFERENDUM STATEMENT ON BURMA REF: STATE 45471 Classified By: DCM Lawrence R. Silverman for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Poloff delivered reftel points to Drahomir Stos at MFA's Territorial Department for Asia and Oceania on May 2. Stos said Slovakia didn't plan to release a statement before the Burmese Constitutional referendum, but actively supported the April 29 GAERC conclusions on Burma. Citing Slovakia's bid for a UN HRC seat -- and pushing back against Stos' argument that a Slovak national statement would have little impact -- Poloff urged the MFA to reconsider. Stos said Slovakia may make a unilateral statement after the referendum, depending on the results and the play the situation receives in local and international media. OBSITNIK