SLOVENIAN INTERIOR MINISTER ON AFGHANISTAN, GUANTANAMO, AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LJUBLJANA 000114 DEPT FOR CA/P/IP, EUR/CE DHS FOR OFFICES OF POLICY AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS DOJ FOR CRIMINAL DIVISION, OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS SIPDIS E.O.12958: DECL: 04/22/2019 TAGS: PREL KDRG KCRM NATO CVIS ASEC PHUM PTER PINR SI SUBJECT: SLOVENIAN INTERIOR MINISTER ON AFGHANISTAN, GUANTANAMO, AND HSPD-6 State 31102, Ljubljana 93 Classified By: CDA B. Freden, Reasons 1.4 (b,d) SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) In an April 20 courtesy call on Interior Minister Katarina Kresal, CDA discussed several current issues in the U.S. - Slovenian relationship. CDA pressed Kresal to move forward with HSPD-6 and PCSC agreements, in order to satisfy requirements to remain on the visa waiver program. He raised the request of a Police Mentoring Group for Afghanistan (ref A),stressing that the U.S. is hoping to muster support from allies to build stability in the region. On Guantanamo detainees, Kresal explained that Slovenia would follow the EU's lead. If there is a common EU position, Slovenia would individually review each detainee who requested resettlement in Slovenia and might accept "one or two." End summary. HSPD-6 -------------- ¶2. (SBU) CDA stressed that completing HSPD-6 and PCSC was essential to Slovenia remaining on the visa waiver program, and that we intended to follow soon with a diplomatic note and proposed text for beginning discussions. Kresal echoed CDA's call for agreements to be reached this year. (Note: Though a CA team visited Slovenia in October 2008 to discuss Slovenian accession to Homeland Security Presidential Directive 6 (HSPD-6),the issue was left in the air due to the fact that Slovenia was between governments at that time. Since that time, repeated efforts to re-engage with the Slovenes have been met with silence. The Ministry of Interior only recently notified post that Slovenia will require "formal" notification and a proposed text to begin the process. Though not specifically discussed, the Ministry also notified post that an agreement on Preventing and Combating Serious Crime (PCSC) would have to follow along similar lines. End Note.) AFGHANISTAN POLICE MONITORING TEAM -------------- ¶3. (C) CDA briefed Kresal on the U.S. request for a potential Slovenian Police Mentoring Team for Afghanistan, noting that we have already discussed the issue with MOD and MFA (ref B). Kresal stated that she was aware of the request, and that Slovenia is in the process of developing a national strategy on its international cooperation projects, including Afghanistan. She noted that she had already sent a MOI proposal to the MFA, and that when asked by MOD when a police team could be ready, she replied "they already are." She also mentioned an Austrian proposal to train the police units outside of Afghanistan as a possible alternative. GUANTANAMO RESETTLEMENT -------------- ¶4. (C) Anticipating the next item on the agenda, Kresal raised the issue of accepting former Guantanamo detainees, explaining that Slovenia is waiting for the EU's final decision before moving ahead. She stressed that the process would have to be addressed on a case-by-case basis, and that the detainee would have to have requested resettlement in Slovenia. She worried that any detainee resettled in Slovenia would have a very difficult time remaining anonymous and assimilating into Slovenian society. Thinking aloud, she speculated that "perhaps a couple" of detainees would be accepted under the best circumstances. THE ERASED -------------- ¶5. (SBU) In a sidebar, CDA praised Kresal for tackling the long-standing problem of the "erased" and surviving a no-confidence vote in parliament. Kresal flashed her eyes and said that the process was now moving forward and could not be stopped, speculating that it could be completely resolved in the next few months. COMMENT: A PICTURE OF KRESAL -------------- ¶6. Post's first formal meeting with Kresal confirmed that she is a businesslike interlocutor who avoids small talk. She confidently engaged on the issues that were at hand, but would not move beyond the papers in front of her to extrapolate on her views. MOI is the largest ministry in Slovenia, and its competencies range from the police and border control to immigration policy and the administrative units found in each town in Slovenia. Kresal is widely respected by her employees, and one recent interlocutor noted that when she first arrived, there was concern that the 36 year-old attorney lacked substantive and management experience. Our contact LJUBLJANA 00000114 002 OF 002 then noted that everyone is now confident that Kresal is on top of the issues and knows how the game is played politically; this combination has enabled her to push ahead on tough initiatives, such as the issue of the "erased." FREDEN