SLOVAK OFFICIAL: "UKRAINE AS READY FOR NATO AS WE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000559

SIPDIS

USNATO FOR RANDY HOAG

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2013
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR UA LO
SUBJECT: SLOVAK OFFICIAL: "UKRAINE AS READY FOR NATO AS WE
WERE"

Classified By: DCM Keith Eddins for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (SBU) Summary. USNATO Director for Defense Planning John

R. Hoag discussed Ukraine's prospects for NATO accession
during a courtesy call with the Director of the Security
Policy Department at Slovakia's MFA, Juraj Podhorsky, on
November 19. Podhorsky compared Ukraine's readiness for a MAP
favorably with Slovakia's readiness when it was given a MAP
in 1999, but suggested that it may be simpler to bring
Ukraine into NATO by another means. Podhorsky said Slovakia
will support a MAP for Ukraine and Georgia at the NATO Summit
in December, but said there was no chance of achieving
consensus. End summary.


2. (SBU) Hoag visited Bratislava to take part in a conference
on NATO prospects for Georgia and Ukraine. In a courtesy call
with Podhorsky, the two discussed Ukraine's prospects in
particular and Slovakia's role and strategy as the NATO
Contact Point Embassy in Kyiv. Podhorsky said he is convinced
that, due to their common history, experiences and ties of
Slavic blood, Slovakia is the best possible advocate for NATO
in Ukraine.


3. (C) NATO-Russia relations will be the most interesting
topic for Slovakia at the December NATO Summit. Podhorsky
(protect) said that "unfortunately" Slovakia would argue for
continued interaction and cooperation with Russia. Slovakia
will support MAP for Georgia and Ukraine, but must otherwise
be cautious not to provoke Russia.


3. (C) Russian Ambassador-at-large Alexandre Alexejev, who
was in Bratislava for the same conference as Hoag, told MFA
Political Director Igor Slobodnik that Georgia and Ukraine
clearly do not meet the requirements laid down in NATO's 1995
"Study on Enlargement", and should therefore not be offered a
MAP. According to Podhorsky, Slobodnik responded sharply,
beginning with a reminder to Alexejev that conditions for a
MAP and for membership are up to the current NAC, and no one
else. Slobodnik went on to say that although he agreed
Georgia and Ukraine do not meet the 1995 criteria for
membership, MAP is not membership and Slovakia itself did not
meet the criteria for membership when it was given a MAP.


4. (SBU) Podhorsky described Slovakia's message to Ukraine as
"What you do for NATO, you do for yourself." He said this
message is based on Slovakia's own experience, in which the
country faced its strongest domestic opposition from generals
who believed their personal needs were being put second to
the desires of SHAPE, and from citizens who had yet to
overcome decades of Communist propaganda about NATO's
predatory motives. Unfortunately, that message is harder to
sell in Ukraine's eastern regions, where cuts in officers and
arms purchases will be most painfully felt, and where much of
the population identifies more closely with Moscow than Kyiv.
It is especially in these regions, however, that NATO
benefits from having its message put across by a "Slovak
face."


5. (C) Podhorsky did not accept a description of the
Ukrainian government or General Staff "ignoring" western
advice. He said he understands the tense political situation
in Ukraine, and that it is not possible for the Ukrainians to
do everything at once. Podhorsky hopes allies will show
patience with Ukraine for as long as Ukraine shows some
perseverance and interest in defense reform.


6. (C) Podhorsky was not surprised to hear that young
Ukrainian officers who are trained in the U.S. are often
ostracized upon their return home. He surmised that more
senior officers feel threatened by subordinates who are more
qualified, and in line to "steal" their jobs. Podhorsky was
sympathetic but did not have any suggestions to resolve the
issue. He said similar issues arose in Slovakia when they
were reducing the ranks of their officer corps, and many good
young officers were probably lost because they couldn't get
ahead when they thought it was their time.


7. (U) This message was cleared by Randy Hoag.
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