Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09LJUBLJANA351
2009-11-13 13:32:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ljubljana
Cable title:
SLOVENIA ON BELARUS SANCTIONS: CURRENT POLICY NOT
how-toINFO LOG-00 AF-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 DODE-00 PDI-00 DS-00 EAP-00 DHSE-00 FBIE-00 VCI-00 H-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 LAB-01 L-00 MOFM-00 MOF-00 M-00 VCIE-00 NSAE-00 NIMA-00 PA-00 GIWI-00 DOHS-00 FMPC-00 SSO-00 SS-00 SCRS-00 DSCC-00 PRM-00 DRL-00 CARC-00 SAS-00 FA-00 SWCI-00 PESU-00 /001W P 131332Z NOV 09 FM AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7564 EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE INFO USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY AMEMBASSY KYIV AMEMBASSY MOSCOW AMEMBASSY VILNIUS
C O N F I D E N T I A L LJUBLJANA 000351
DEPT FOR EUR/UMB AND EUR/ERA, EMBASSY MINSK
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/13/2019
TAGS: PREL EUN PHUM BO SI
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA ON BELARUS SANCTIONS: CURRENT POLICY NOT
WORKING
REF: A. STATE 112644
B. BRUSSELS 1504
Classified By: Pol-Econ Chief Yuriy Fedkiw, E.O. 12958, reasons 1.4(b)
and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L LJUBLJANA 000351
DEPT FOR EUR/UMB AND EUR/ERA, EMBASSY MINSK
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/13/2019
TAGS: PREL EUN PHUM BO SI
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA ON BELARUS SANCTIONS: CURRENT POLICY NOT
WORKING
REF: A. STATE 112644
B. BRUSSELS 1504
Classified By: Pol-Econ Chief Yuriy Fedkiw, E.O. 12958, reasons 1.4(b)
and (d)
1.(C) Pol-Econ Chief delivered reftel demarche to Ministry of
Foreign Affairs Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine and South Caucasus
Section Head Matjaz Ingolic on November 13. Ingolic said
Slovenia shares the United States' general assessment of the
current political situation in Belarus; Minsk simply needs to
do more on reform. However, Slovenia feels the policy of
isolation is not working and a policy of limited engagement
would be more productive. Ingolic said the attitudes of the
Belarus government are changing, and the country is "not the
same Belarus of five years ago." As a result, Ingolic
believes it is important to increase people-to-people
exchanges between Belarus and the West.
2.(C) Ingolic argued that a continuation of sanctions as they
currently stand would further frustrate the ratification of
the Partnership Cooperation Agreement (PCA) and negatively
impact Belarus' membership in the Eastern Partnership
Initiative. Ingolic also noted the "Russia angle," saying
that Moscow is waiting for the economic situation in Belarus
to further deteriorate. Due to all of these concerns,
Slovenia supports a timely adjustment of both sanctions and
travel restrictions. Ingolic said it was important to
harmonize the two measures so that they could come to an end
by October 2010. At that point, Slovenia would consider the
possibility of completely ending sanctions and raising travel
restrictions based on the progress Belarus makes on improving
its record on human rights and democracy.
FREDEN
DEPT FOR EUR/UMB AND EUR/ERA, EMBASSY MINSK
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/13/2019
TAGS: PREL EUN PHUM BO SI
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA ON BELARUS SANCTIONS: CURRENT POLICY NOT
WORKING
REF: A. STATE 112644
B. BRUSSELS 1504
Classified By: Pol-Econ Chief Yuriy Fedkiw, E.O. 12958, reasons 1.4(b)
and (d)
1.(C) Pol-Econ Chief delivered reftel demarche to Ministry of
Foreign Affairs Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine and South Caucasus
Section Head Matjaz Ingolic on November 13. Ingolic said
Slovenia shares the United States' general assessment of the
current political situation in Belarus; Minsk simply needs to
do more on reform. However, Slovenia feels the policy of
isolation is not working and a policy of limited engagement
would be more productive. Ingolic said the attitudes of the
Belarus government are changing, and the country is "not the
same Belarus of five years ago." As a result, Ingolic
believes it is important to increase people-to-people
exchanges between Belarus and the West.
2.(C) Ingolic argued that a continuation of sanctions as they
currently stand would further frustrate the ratification of
the Partnership Cooperation Agreement (PCA) and negatively
impact Belarus' membership in the Eastern Partnership
Initiative. Ingolic also noted the "Russia angle," saying
that Moscow is waiting for the economic situation in Belarus
to further deteriorate. Due to all of these concerns,
Slovenia supports a timely adjustment of both sanctions and
travel restrictions. Ingolic said it was important to
harmonize the two measures so that they could come to an end
by October 2010. At that point, Slovenia would consider the
possibility of completely ending sanctions and raising travel
restrictions based on the progress Belarus makes on improving
its record on human rights and democracy.
FREDEN