SLOVAKIA: DEMARCHE ON PNG AMBASSADORS IN BOLIVIA

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000422 SIPDIS FOR WHA/AND: BARBARA ROCHA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KDEM PGOV PREL ASEC LO SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA: DEMARCHE ON PNG AMBASSADORS IN BOLIVIA AND VENEZUELA DELIVERED REF: SECSTATE 99473 On September 22, PolOff delivered reftel points to Terezia Sajgalikova of the South American Affairs division at the Slovak MFA. Sajgalikova said that the Slovaks are concerned about the deterioration of democratic conditions in Bolivia and Venezuela, and are hopeful that regional leaders such as Brazil can help mediate the dispute between the U.S., Bolivia, and Venezuela. PolOff also noted the GoV expulsion of Human Rights Watch's Jose Miguel Vivanco and Daniel Wilkinson over the weekend; Sajgalikova agreed that President Chavez is acting erratically and questioned his mental state. Sajgalikova said that she had observed first-hand the positive U.S. engagement with the hemisphere, as she served at the Slovak Embassy in Brasilia from 2002-2006. (Note: Slovakia only maintains Embassies in Cuba, Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico.) Because they lack both financial resources and significant interests in most of the Western Hemisphere, Slovak diplomats engage on Latin American political issues via the EU. OBSITNIK