GAERC RESPONSE

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000034 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EUN PHUM PREL PGOV KVIR IR IS SU LO SUBJECT: GAERC RESPONSE REF: SECSTATE 7679 ¶1. (U) Poloff discussed reftel points with MFA EU Correspondent Alexander Micovcin on January 25. Slovakia's delegation will be led by MFA State Secretary Olga Algayerova, as Minister Jan Kubis will be hosting a visit by the UN Secretary General. ¶2. (SBU) Micovcin predicted that an EU Peacekeeping Mission for Chad would be approved and could be deployed before the end of the month. Although Slovakia supports this mission politically, Micovcin said Slovakia would offer just one soldier to the project, a military officer who would serve at the Headquarters in France. ¶3. (U) Slovakia understands that Iran remains a threat and that any recent progress on thwarting their nuclear ambitions is only due to pressure exerted by the international community. When Iran is discussed during the working lunch, Slovakia will speak in favor of keeping up such pressure. Our MFA contacts have confirmed that IAEA DG El Baradei had nothing new or positive to report on the Iranian stance when he visited Slovakia last week. ¶4. (SBU) Slovakia supports the earliest possible signing of a Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with Serbia, but understands that consensus likely does not exist for real progress to be made at this GAERC. Micovcin said that Slovakia does not believe Serbia's EU future should depend on the resolution of the Kosovo question. Although ICTY conditionality remains important, Slovakia would like the EU to have "more flexibility in determining what that means, exactly." ¶4. (SBU) Burma will not be on the GAERC agenda and Micovcin doubted that it would come up even on the margins - unless a state was advocating for its inclusion on the February agenda. Micovcin again confirmed Slovakia's willingness to support additional sanctions, and said a ban on imports of products containing Burmese hardwoods or gems might be acceptable. OBSITNIK