SLOVAKIA: 2009 NATO POLICY-MAKER TOUR PROPOSAL

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000445 SIPDIS USNATO FOR LEAH PEASE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: NATO KPAO OEXC OIIP PREL LO SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA: 2009 NATO POLICY-MAKER TOUR PROPOSAL REF: USNATO 308 ¶1. Embassy Bratislava requests a date be reserved for a policy-maker tour early in FY'09. Post will nominate 6-8 junior-level employees of the Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs, the Government (Prime Minister's) Office, and Slovak Parliament. Post requests a tour that includes substantive presentations and discussions at NATO Headquarters and SHAPE, and a briefing by the Pol-Mil team at USEU, with a particular focus on Afghanistan, ISAF, and the complications caused by allies' (including Slovakia) use of caveats. Post requests a follow-on visit to a Slovak unit operating in Afghanistan. JUSTIFICATION -------------- ¶2. Post has worked hard and successfully to bring a skeptical government around to increasing its commitment to ISAF. Unfortunately, since the Government and Parliament voted to nearly double Slovakia's deployment this year, some of the fire has gone out of arguments for a greater commitment to the NATO mission. Post is continuing to work with all levels of the government and with the media to foster a greater understanding of the Afghanistan mission, the risks that come with being a responsible NATO partner, and the need to join the fight without caveats. We believe that making this case clearly and directly to working level government officers will be useful since it is at this level that the ideas we place in political leaders heads are brought to paper. In addition, the U.S. will benefit as new officers develop an understanding of US-Slovak bilateral and multilateral avenues of cooperation. Section Heads at MFA and MoD have specifically requested such a tour be organized to reinforce new employee's understandings of NATO's capabilities, functions and limitations. ¶3. In FY07 Post sent seven newly-elected Members of Parliament on a policy-makers tour to USNATO. That trip helped post form stronger relationships with MPs from the new ruling coalition parties as well as reaffirming our interest in working with both coalition and opposition MPs on important security-related matters. Post proposed a NATO tour for junior Policy Makers in FY '08, but was unable to realize it due to last-minute scheduling conflicts. ¶4. Final participants for nomination will be determined after a date has been confirmed and in consultation with relevant offices at the Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs. Post anticipates nominating three employees from MoD, including one each from the Minister's Office, the Public Affairs Office and the Policy and Planning Division; three employees from MFA including at least one from the Security Policy Department and one from the Department for Development Assistance; and one employee each from the Government Office and the Slovak Parliament. All nominees will be Slovak citizens with proficient English. OBSITNIK