SLOVENIA SUPPORTS LIMITED CHANGES TO OSLO PROCESS

C O N F I D E N T I A L LJUBLJANA 000205 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2018 TAGS: MOPS PARM PREL NATO UN SI SUBJECT: SLOVENIA SUPPORTS LIMITED CHANGES TO OSLO PROCESS DECLARATION ON CLUSTER MUNITIONS REF: STATE 48124 Classified By: CDA Maryruth Coleman for reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) On May 8, EmbOff delivered reftel points to Robert Strazisar, MFA Security Policy Division official and a Slovenian delegate to the May 19 Oslo Process negotiating session in Dublin, urging that Slovenia not take any action relating to the Oslo Process that would have a negative effect on Alliance interoperability and NATO joint operations. Strazisar said that Slovenia shares U.S. concerns regarding potential negative effects that certain text of the Oslo Process could have on NATO interoperability. He stated that Slovenia will maintain a neutral position in Dublin regarding Article 1(b),but will actively lobby for changes to the text of Article 1(c). He noted that as the current President of the EU Council, Slovenia will attempt to broker consensus among EU member states, although he admitted that this will likely prove impossible. ¶2. (C) Strazisar explained that Slovenia does not support deleting Articles 1(b) and 1(c),but rather supports changes to the 1(c) text to ensure that joint operations with non-signatories to the Oslo Process will not be held against signatories. He further noted that Slovenia does not have a strong interest in pushing for changes to Article 1(b) because Slovenia does not engage in any of the activities prohibited by the clause. Strazisar also said that, in his opinion, Article 1(b) would not negatively affect interoperability, as such issues could be resolved in terms of engagement negotiations prior to any joint operation. COLEMAN