(SBU) KUDOS FOR REPORTING ON FOREIGN MINISTER

S E C R E T STATE 092505 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2034 TAGS: PINR PGOV PREL LO SUBJECT: (SBU) KUDOS FOR REPORTING ON FOREIGN MINISTER LAJCAK (C-RE9-01703) REF: BRATISLAVA 000324 Classified By: MICHAEL P. OWENS, ACTING DIR, INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C). ¶1. (S/NF) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS GREATLY APPRECIATED REFTEL REGARDING FOREIGN MINISTER LAJCAK'S JULY 20 MEETING. IT PROVIDED KEY INSIGHTS INTO LAJCAK'S JUSTIFICATION FOR THE SLOVAK LANGUAGE LAW, HIS VIEWS ON THE SITUATION SURROUNDING THE LANGUAGE LAW CONTROVERSY, AND HIS CRITICISM OF THE CE LETTER TO OBAMA. LAJCAK'S PERSPECTIVE ON COALITION DYNAMICS, HIS PURPORTED CONCERNS ABOUT JOINING THE GOVERNMENT, AS WELL AS INFORMATION ON THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS WERE VERY USEFUL, AND FURTHER OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE FOREIGN MINISTER'S VIEWS ON VARIOUS KEY ISSUES, THE COALITION GOVERNMENT, AND TOWARD THE PRIME MINISTER. ¶2. (S/NF) AS TIME AND RESOURCES PERMIT, WE WOULD WELCOME ADDITIONAL REPORTING ON THE GOVERNMENT'S STRATEGY FOR HANDLING FALLOUT FROM THE LANGUAGE LAW, LAJCAK'S RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER OFFICIALS AND WITH PRIME MINISTER FICO, ALONG THE LINES NOTED BELOW. ¶A. (SBU) WAS THE SLOVAK LANGUAGE LAW RUSHED THROUGH? DID SLOVAK OFFICIALS CONSIDER THE HUNGARIAN AND INTERNATIONAL REACTION TO THE LAW'S PASSAGE? ¶B. (SBU) DID FOREIGN MINISTER LAJCAK HAVE TO OVERCOME ANY PARTICULAR CONCERNS BEFORE JOINING THE GOVERNMENT? IF SO, HOW DID HE MANAGE TO OVERCOME THOSE CONCERNS? ¶C. (SBU) DOES FOREIGN LAJCAK ENJOY A REASONABLE RELATIONSHIP WITH PRIME MINISTER FICO? HOW MUCH AUTONOMY DOES LAJCAK HAVE IN DECISIONMAKING? ¶D. (SBU) TO WHAT EXTENT IS LAJCAK DRIVING SLOVAK FOREIGN POLICY? IS HE WILLING TO CHALLENGE FICO'S POLICY LINE? ¶E. (C) WHY DOES FICO NEED TO WAIT UNTIL THE 2010 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS TO DROP THE MOVEMENT FOR A DEMOCRATIC SLOVAKIA (HZDS) AND THE SLOVAK NATIONAL PARTY (SNS) FROM THE COALITION? ¶F. (SBU) DOES LAJCAK ENJOY REASONABLE RELATIONS WITH HIS MFA COLLEAGUES? HOW DOES HE PERCEIVE HIS SLOVAK TEAM AT THE MINISTRY? HOW DO PERSONNEL VIEW LAJCAK AND HIS MANAGEMENT OF THE MFA? ¶2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-RE9-01703 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS. CLINTON