Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BRATISLAVA406
2009-09-21 13:08:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bratislava
Cable title:  

SLOVAKIA: CHARGE'S MEETING WITH FM LAJCAK

Tags:  PREL PGOV LO HU BH 
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FM AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0166
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHSL/AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA 0202
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BRATISLAVA 000406 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/CE
STATE FOR ISN/RA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 9/21/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV LO HU BH
SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA: CHARGE'S MEETING WITH FM LAJCAK

REF: A. A) STATE 95073

B. B) BRATISLAVA 402

BRATISLAVA 00000406 001.2 OF 003


CLASSIFIED BY: Keith A. Eddins, CDA, State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BRATISLAVA 000406

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/CE
STATE FOR ISN/RA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 9/21/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV LO HU BH
SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA: CHARGE'S MEETING WITH FM LAJCAK

REF: A. A) STATE 95073

B. B) BRATISLAVA 402

BRATISLAVA 00000406 001.2 OF 003


CLASSIFIED BY: Keith A. Eddins, CDA, State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)

1. (C) Summary. Charge d'Affaires Eddins met with Foreign
Minister Lajcak on September 18, prior to Lajcak's departure for
the U.S. Lajcak reviewed his recent trips to Moscow and Minsk.
Other topics included Afghanistan, Iran, Slovak-Hungarian
relations, the Balkans, and Guantanamo detainees. Lajcak said
he would be bringing two proposals on Afghanistan to Washington;
agreed with ref a points on Iran; expressed displeasure with a
recent interview by Hungarian FM Balazs; shared a non-paper on
Bosnia which he intends to discuss with Balkan experts in
Washington; and indicated potential openness to further
discussion on Guantanamo detainees. Lajcak reiterated that
Prime Minister Fico would like to visit the U.S., even if the
proposed November timeframe slips to next year. There are "many
reasons to keep him (Fico) on board," he added. End Summary.

Afghanistan
--------------


2. (C) FM Lajcak will bring with him to DC two "proposals" on
Afghanistan, which would be approved by PM Fico before Lajcak's
departure to the States. Lajcak nodded affirmatively in
response to Charge's query as to whether the proposals were
related to an OMLT and the deployment of Slovak Special Forces.
Lajcak reiterated, however, that no formal commitment or mandate
change would be forthcoming until after Slovak elections in June

2010. He agreed with Charge that, given necessary lead times
for training, equipping, etc., a solution needed to be found to
allow preparations to begin sooner than mid-2010. (Comment:
Unfortunately, the GOS seems no farther along in its thinking
about how to square this circle. DAO and ODC representatives
have repeatedly explained to MOD counterparts that the bulk of
the training and equipping they seek from the U.S. will not be
available until Slovakia has given us more than an oral
expression of intent to deploy. As for the proposals, we will
be surprised if they turn out to be materially different from

what the GOS has been telling us they would like to do for the
last year or so.)

Iran
--------------


3. (C) Charge conveyed ref a demarche regarding Iran. Lajcak
concurred and agreed to include similar points in his UNGA
remarks, although he noted that the precise language would have
to be harmonized with the EU's agreed position.

Kosovo/Bosnia
--------------


4. (C) The Slovaks will meet with Kosovar delegation on
margins of UNGA (ref b). Lajcak told Charge that he opposed the
current MOD plan to end KFOR participation - a decision he
implicitly denied was linked to Slovakia's position on
recognition. He said he had an agreement from PM Fico and the
President that a Slovak drawdown proportionate to that of KFOR
reduction was the preferred way to go. He stated that the
Slovak PermRep to NATO was pursuing this option. Lajcak said he
intended to put forward some ideas on BiH, about which he is
very concerned, during a roundtable with Balkan experts on
9/21. He provided a Food for Thought paper (emailed to CE and
SCE),which he has asked Ambassador Burian to disseminate in
advance of the roundtable. (Comment: At a September 17
reception, MFA PolDir Slobodnik told Charge that FM Lajcak is
developing his own policy initiatives on Bosnia and that he
expected him to remain very active on this issue.)

Moscow, Minsk Visits
--------------


5. (C) Lajcak confirmed reports that President Medvedev will
visit Bratislava in April. The Russians have expressed interest
in concluding a joint declaration aimed at combating what they
referred to as "historical revisionism" of World War Two, e.g.,
efforts to equate Russia with Germany in terms of responsibility
for the start of the war. Lajcak assured Charge that the
Slovaks would be very cautious that any potential declaration
was fully consistent with Slovakia's NATO and EU membership. As
for deliverables for the meeting, Lajcak mentioned two old
initiatives: the construction of a cyclotron and cooperation in
military armaments production.


6. (C) He described Russian FM Lavrov as upbeat on U.S.-Russian
consultations/relations. Lajcak characterized the Russian
reaction to MD decision as positive, and seen as a gesture of
seriousness and goodwill. He described familiar Russian

BRATISLAVA 00000406 002.2 OF 003


positions on Iran and sanctions, to which Charge reiterated our
concern about the risks of inaction. Lajcak confirmed that the
EU, despite differing opinions, would not block new sanctions.


7. (C) Lajcak expanded on the readout (emailed to UMB and CE)
of his meetings in Minsk, particularly Lukashenko's stated
frustrations with the Russians. According to Lajcak, Lukashenko
complained about Russian unreliability, inability to fulfill or
follow through on agreements, and behavior bordering on
blackmail. He also talked a good bit about his relations with
Medvedev and Putin, accusing the latter of trying to undermine
his relations with the former. Lukashenko said Medvedev is very
jealous of his presidential prerogatives, but that the current
ambiguities in the leadership situation had created a great deal
of uncertainty in the Russian system.

Hungary
--------------


8. (C) Lajcak expressed exasperation about the extent to which
the relationship dominated his agenda. He stated that he had
been very angry to read an interview in the German press in
which FM Balasz was quoted as saying that Slovakia was like a
little brother that needed to be taught "European manners," and
made a comparison between Fico government and Ceaucescu regime.
According to Lajcak, he and Balasz had spoken about the
interview and Balazs had told him that he been misquoted, and
would issue some sort of clarification/apology on the MFA
website. In general, Lajcak said that Balazs has been a very
constructive partner and confirmed that the two would meet on
the margins of the UNGA to map out implementation of their PM's
September 10 11-point agreement.


9. (C) In response to Charge's question, Lajcak was
unequivocal that Slovakia would not adopt a comprehensive
minority law, as has been recommended by COE and now OSCE High
Commissioner Vollebaek. Finally, he expressed concern (and, he
admitted, a little paranoia) about a recent article in
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung drawing parallels between German
unification and Hungary's current situation. Explaining the
paranoia, Lajcak noted that President Solyom had recently been
in Germany, where he had given background interviews to press.
Both Lajcak and PolDir Slobodnik conveyed concern about possible
invitations from Congress to representatives of ethnic
Hungarians to make their case on the language law. Charge told
both that we were not aware of any such initiative, but that we
would let them know if we heard anything.

Ukraine
--------------


10. (C) Charge asked Lajcak about the current state of
Slovak-Ukrainian relations, which have been strained since the
January gas crisis. Lajcak described the situation in Ukraine as
"chaotic," which affected his ability to help put relations on a
more normal footing. Lajcak said he had invited his Ukrainian
counterpart to visit Bratislava in August, prior to Lajcak's
travel to Moscow and Minsk, but that the Ukrainian side had
postponed the visit until November.

Corruption and the Slovak Judiciary
--------------


11. (C) At the close of the meeting, Charge spoke positively
about the steps that Deputy Prime Minister Caplovic has taken in
his capacity as interim Environment Minister to clean up what
was clearly a very corrupt ministry. He added that issues
related to human rights, good governance, corruption, media
freedom, rule of law, etc. may be raised with Slovak officials
in upcoming Washington meetings - if not with Lajcak, than with
DPM Caplovic, who will be meeting with DRL A/AS Stewart. Charge
highlighted continued U.S. concerns about the Slovak judiciary
in this context. Lajcak responded that his only information on
the situation is via the Slovak media, which is "horrible." He
said he was personally not a fan of Chief Justice Harabin, but
speculated that Harabin was not as bad as the media made him out
to be. Charge rejoined that we speak with many experts in the
legal community and the situation is, in fact, quite serious,
particularly as it concerns U.S. companies' confidence in a free
and fair judiciary.

Embassy Comment
--------------


12. (C) Nine months into his tenure as Foreign Minister, Lajcak
is traveling to Washington and New York mostly comfortable with
his position. But he is also still working to ensure that he

BRATISLAVA 00000406 003.2 OF 003


will be retained in his ministerial post following next year's
Slovak elections, and securing a Fico visit to the White House
would go a long way toward achieving that goal. He recently
told visiting OSCE High Commissioner Vollebaek (protect) that he
was the only Slovak cabinet minister who ever stood up to or
otherwise confronted Fico on policy differences, but our take is
that he remains much more interested in pleasing the Prime
Minister than in challenging him. Nevertheless, Lajcak remains
our best -- and certainly most accessible -- senior interlocutor
on key national security issues, and is able to engage with Fico
on issues such as Afghanistan and Kosovo.
EDDINS