SLOVAK ASSISTANCE TO BURMA

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000213 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/NCE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM EAID LO BM SUBJECT: SLOVAK ASSISTANCE TO BURMA REF: A) STATE 48651 B) SILVERMAN-VIKMANIS-KELLER EMAIL 5/08/08 ¶1. (U) Pol/Econ Chief and Economic Officer conveyed reftel points to the MFA's Office of Economic Cooperation and to the Office for Asia and Oceania. Due to a Slovak holiday, we were unable to get substantive responses to our demarche. As reported ref b, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on May 7 that it will donate 2 million SKK (100,000 USD) to Burma via the International Red Cross for infrastructure repairs, potable water, food and basic health needs. Meanwhile, the Slovak NGO "People in Peril" has launched a public campaign to raise funds for the cyclone victims. Until recently, People in Peril had staff members on the ground in Burma; those individuals are now in Thailand, where they are coordinating with Czech counterparts and local partners to provide financial and food aid. Post will follow up with MFA contacts on May 12. OBSITNIK