GAERC RESPONSE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000041 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2013 TAGS: PREL PGOV AF ZL SU ZI UP BO SUBJECT: GAERC RESPONSE REF: SECSTATE 04297 Classified By: CDA Keith A. Eddins as per 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) Poloff delivered reftel points to Albin Otruba, European Correspondent at the Slovak MFA on January 21. Otruba said GAERC's agenda is still subject to change, but guessed it would include Kosovo, Guantanamo, the Middle East, Russia/Ukraine, and energy security only. Slovakia will be represented at the GAERC and preceding meetings by State Secretary Olga Algayerova. FM Kubis is expected to leave the MFA as of January 23. ¶2. (C) Otruba said the EULEX mission is moving according to plan, and he expects it will assume final operational capability in the coming weeks. (Comment. Slovakia supports the EULEX mission without recognizing Kosovar sovereignty. End comment.) ¶3. (C) Guantanamo was added to the agenda on Portugal's initiative. Otruba does not expect any concrete results from the discussion, and Slovakia will discourage any conclusions being drawn at this stage. Slovakia's position will be that accepting Guantanamo inmates should be the prerogative of each EU Member State. The Slovak Government discussed this possibility in the last year after a request from the U.S. Ambassador, and decided not to accept inmates. Otruba does not expect that position will change during the current government's term. ¶4. (C) EU Foreign Ministers are meeting the Israeli FM today, and will have dinner with the FMs of Jordan, Turkey, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority on Sunday. Otruba anticipates GAERC will adopt conclusions with respect to the provision of humanitarian assistance to civilians in the Gaza Strip. ¶5. (C) According to Otruba, Slovakia is "in complete agreement with the U.S. position" on the Russia/Ukraine gas dispute. Slovakia's supply agreement was with Russia, and only Russia can be held accountable for the failure of gas to reach its customers. That said, Otruba described Ukraine's positions during the crisis as "unhelpful and uncooperative." Echoing many voices, Otruba predicted the best thing to come out of the crisis will be renewed efforts in the EU for diversification of supply. EDDINS