SLOVAKIA STILL WEIGHING OPTIONS IN AFGHANISTAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000154 SIPDIS SCA/A FOR TOM REOTT E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2012 TAGS: PREL AF NATO PK MARR MOPS LO SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA STILL WEIGHING OPTIONS IN AFGHANISTAN REF: A. BRATISLAVA 152 ¶B. SECSTATE 31102 Classified By: A/DCM Simon Hankinson as per 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Charge delivered ref A points and papers to Juraj Podhorsky, Director of the MFA's Security Policy Department, on April 1. Podhorsky appreciated close communication with the U.S. Embassy during the review process and during the week since the White Paper was released. He was not surprised by the specific asks for Slovakia, and seemed cautiously optimistic that Slovakia will expand its military role in ISAF again before the end of the year. (Comment: Slovakia currently has 231 troops assigned to ISAF. Minister of Defense Baska has said for some time that he hopes to have 280 troops deployed by the end of 2010. End comment.) ¶2. (C) Podhorsky has heard from colleagues at MoD that discussions with the Indiana National Guard about a joint OMLT are "very advanced", and that he expects an announcement soon. (Comment: DATT expects to receive an MoD briefing on Slovakia's plans to increase support to Afghanistan during the week of April 6. End comment.) ¶3. (C) Podhorsky was less optimistic about sending Slovak police trainers or other civil servants to Afghanistan. Podhorsky explained there are legislative obstacles to sending Slovak civil servants overseas, but said it is a matter the government is studying and may be resolved in the future. Regarding provision of police trainers, Podhorsky said that the government would prefer to bring Afghan officers to Slovakia for training, but encouraged Charge to raise the matter with Interior Minister Kalinak nonetheless. EDDINS