VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLJ #0272/01 1250505
ZNR UUUUU ZZH (CCY PARA'S ADC9326D MSI1134 503)
R 050505Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4786
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC

UNCLAS LJUBLJANA 000272 
 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y (CHANGE PARA 13 MARKING TO MESSAGE) 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR PM - AMB LOFTIS, PM/RSAT - KDOWLEY, AND EUR/NCE - 
VTRIM, 
OSD FOR JTOWNSEND AND MSADOWSKA 
JOINT STAFF FOR MMANTIPLY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MARR MOPS NATO PGOV PREL PTER SI
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR AMBASSADOR ROBERT LOFTIS 
 
¶1. (SBU) Ambassador Loftis: We welcome your visit to Slovenia 
to hold bilateral Pol-Mil talks.  These talks will provide an 
excellent opportunity to: 
 
- Thank Slovenia for its robust contributions to ongoing NATO 
operations such as NTM-I, ISAF, and KFOR, as well as the 
completed Hurricane Katrina and Pakistan Earthquake relief 
operations; 
 
- Engage Slovenia on our vision of NATO transformation, 
including future enlargement, streamlined global 
partnerships, a fully operational NATO Response Force (NRF), 
and enhanced common funding; 
 
- Encourage stronger cooperation in the areas of 
counter-proliferation and counter terrorism; 
 
- Push for additional contributions from Slovenia for civil 
reconstruction in Afghanistan and fulfillment of its NATO 
Force Goals. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
PM JANSA,S TRANSATLANTIC RE-ORIENTATION 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) In the fourteen years since gaining independence, 
Slovenia has established a stable, prosperous, multi-party 
democracy with a free press, an independent judiciary, and an 
excellent human rights record.  Slovenia became a member of 
NATO on March 29, 2004, and a member of the European Union on 
May 1, 2004.  On October 3, 2004, Slovenia held parliamentary 
elections that unseated the center-left parties that had 
ruled with only a brief interruption since independence and 
brought to power a center-right coalition under the 
leadership of Prime Minister Janez Jansa. 
 
¶3. (U) Jansa is a former Yugoslav-era dissident who served as 
Minister of Defense from 1990-1994.  During his time as 
Defense Minister, Jansa presided over the transformation of 
Slovenia,s Territorial Defense Force into an independent 
military and subsequently spearheaded Slovenia's entry into 
NATO,s Partnership for Peace.  As a committed 
transatlanticist, Jansa has sought to re-orient Slovenia,s 
foreign policy by focusing more on Slovenia,s commitment to 
NATO and the advancement of a common democracy agenda. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Jansa government made improved relations with 
the United States a central plank in its 2004 election 
campaign and has worked hard to make good on this promise. 
Slovenia took a giant step forward in February 2006 when it 
deployed four military trainers to the NATO Training Mission 
) Iraq (NTM-I), thereby supporting an important U.S. foreign 
policy priority.  The reversal of its longstanding policy of 
&no boots on the ground8 in Iraq spurred an intense media 
debate over the issue.  For its part, the GOS explained its 
decision to the public using carefully crafted arguments 
about Slovenia,s obligations to NATO and global security. 
Despite an initial onslaught of criticism from the 
center-left opposition, the deployment has come and gone 
without any precipitous drop in support for the government. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Slovenia views NATO as a cornerstone of 
transatlantic security and favors continued expansion of the 
alliance.  You will find the Jansa administration more 
receptive to what we are trying to accomplish around the 
world than most previous Slovenian administrations.  The GOS 
has indicated it plans to host a Proliferation Security 
Initiative (PSI) container security exercise in May 2007 and 
is currently in the process of exploring opportunities to 
engage in civilian reconstruction in Afghanistan.  We should 
thank the Slovenes for these commitments and encourage them 
to continue their military transformation and the fulfillment 
of their NATO Force Goals. 
 
-------------------------- 
FOREIGN POLICY PRIORITIES 
-------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Now that Slovenia has finished its tenure as 
Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE (which ended on December 31, 
2005), it has begun to prepare for its next big challenge: 
presiding over the EU in the first six months of 2008.  The 
EU presidency will bring a whole host of complex issues to 
the front burner, from Common Agricultural Policy to ESDP to 
combating extremism and resurrecting the EU,s moribund 
constitutional treaty.  Slovenia is measuring up to its 
forthcoming responsibilities and trying to broaden its 
expertise in areas that only a few years ago were largely off 
the radar screen.  This includes a welcome new receptivity to 
supporting the President's freedom and democracy agenda in 
areas as far flung as Cuba, Belarus, and Uzbekistan. 
Slovenian President Drnovsek,s vocal support for 
humanitarian causes in Darfur and elsewhere has also shifted 
attention to parts of the globe that previously received 
little attention. 
 
¶7. (U) Despite the expanded horizons brought about by its 
OSCE and EU responsibilities, Slovenia's primary strategic 
focus remains the Western Balkans.  Foreign Minister Rupel is 
engaged with Kosovo's final status negotiations and Slovenia 
is taking an active role in a special planning team that will 
shape the future role of the EU in Kosovo once status has 
been determined.  Slovenia also plans to maintain a robust 
military presence in Kosovo by deploying a Motorized 
Battalion to KFOR in 2007, which will bring its total troop 
strength to 640 soldiers. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Slovenia is a strong advocate of Croatia's bid to 
join NATO and the EU.  Despite periodic political haggling 
over its undefined maritime border with Croatia, deposits 
owed to Croatian creditors by a bankrupt Ljubljana bank, and 
the disposal of waste from a jointly owned nuclear power 
plant, the GOS has hewed to its policy of advocating Croatian 
membership in both organizations.  Through the South East 
European Clearing House (SEECH), the Southeast European 
Cooperation Initiative (SECI), and the Southeast European 
Prosecutors Advisory Group (SEEPAG), Slovenia remains active 
in spurring defense and law enforcement cooperation 
throughout the region.  As a member of the Southeast European 
Defense Ministerial (SEDM), Slovenia also is engaged in 
promoting defense reform among its neighbors to the south and 
east. 
 
--------------------------- 
THE SLOVENIAN ARMED FORCES 
--------------------------- 
 
¶9. (U) FORCE STRUCTURE:  The Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) 
continues the process of transformation, including 
downsizing, modernizing, restructuring, and reorganizing, in 
order to meet NATO Force Goals and its military commitments 
to the EU.  The SAF, primarily a ground-based force with 
limited air and naval assets, are approximately a 
division-size force composed of two major commands 
subordinate to the General Staff: Forces Command; and the 
Doctrine, Development, Training and Education Command 
(DDTEC).  Forces Command is composed of combat, combat 
support, and combat service support elements.  Within Forces 
Command, the First Brigade provides combat forces, the 72nd 
Brigade provides combat support (CS) forces, and Support 
Command provides combat service support (CSS).  DDTEC is 
generally responsible for all training and doctrine 
development missions, similar to the US Army Training and 
Doctrine Command (TRADOC). 
 
¶10. (U) PERSONNEL:  The SAF is meeting its downsizing goal by 
transforming itself from a primarily conscripted, 
territorially oriented defense force of 87,000 personnel with 
95 percent reserves.  The SAF today is a professional 
volunteer force currently consisting of approximately 7,300 
(44%) active duty personnel, 1,300 (8%) contracted reserves, 
and 8,000 (48%) conscripted reserves, and is restructuring to 
become an expeditionary force capable of meeting its NATO and 
EU responsibilities and obligations.  The goal of the SAF is 
to downsize the force by 2010 to 8,500 active duty personnel 
and 5,500 contracted reserves. 
 
¶11. (U) GOALS AND PRIORITIES:  The overarching goals of the 
SAF include strategic integration into NATO and the EU, 
stabilization of the SAF structure and organization, 
development of SAF capabilities for national defense and 
integration within NATO and the EU, improving education and 
training at the individual and collective level, developing 
better logistics capabilities, and improving command and 
control (C2) support systems. 
 
¶12. (U) PROCUREMENT AND FORCE MODERNIZATION:  The SAF,s 
modernization and procurement objectives are focused on NATO 
interoperability.  Procurement in FY 2005 was focused on 
equipping combat units and enhancing command and control 
capabilities; continuing the process of upgrading individual 
soldier combat gear and protective equipment; continuing the 
procurement of wheeled-vehicle transportation assets in order 
to upgrade SAF logistics support capabilities; investing in 
the upgrading of Cerklje airbase, the sole military airfield 
in Slovenia; and improving helicopter transport capabilities 
and determining fixed-wing transport needs for the future. 
The Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC) assisted the SAF by 
supporting some of its procurement objectives, specifically 
with funding in the areas of High Mobility Multi-Wheeled 
Vehicle (HMMWV) spare parts and Command, Control, 
Communications, Computer and Intelligence (C4I) systems. 
 
----------------- 
NATO Force Goals 
----------------- 
 
¶13. (U) Shortly after joining NATO in March 2004, Slovenia 
accepted or partially accepted 44 NATO Force Goals (NFGs), 
rejecting none.  Slovenia,s primary NFGs in 2004 included an 
infantry battalion to be provided in rotations for up to six 
months by 2012, an NBC battalion for the NATO Reaction Force 
by 2009, and several combat support and combat service 
support assets.  In March 2006, Slovenia received 54 
additional NATO Force Goal &Updates.8  It accepted or 
partially accepted 53 of these and rejected one (Force 
Protection for Deployed Air Units).  With the additional 2006 
NFG Updates, Slovenia is being asked to further increase the 
number of deployable combat and combat support units.  A new 
high readiness reconnaissance company is being sought from 
the end of 2012 and a military police company in 2008. 
Slovenia is also being asked to provide more deployable 
Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and 
Reconnaissance (ISTAR) assets.  In terms of acquisitions, 
NATO is asking Slovenia to procure 3 additional helicopters 
and two light transport aircraft by 2011. 
 
------------------------- 
International Operations 
------------------------- 
 
¶14. (U) Slovenia is actively engaged in many international 
operations, including NATO operations in Iraq, Afghanistan 
and Kosovo, the EU Operation Althea in Bosnia and 
Herzegovina. 
 
¶15. (SBU) IRAQ:  On February 24, 2006, Slovenia deployed four 
military trainers in support of NTM-I at the Ar Rustamiya 
training facility near Baghdad.  This important milestone 
aligned Slovenia more closely with U.S. foreign policy 
objectives and once again demonstrated Slovenia,s 
willingness to contribute to security operations in global 
"hot spots."  In addition to deploying the four trainers to 
Iraq, Slovenia has also donated 5 million Euro worth of small 
arms and ammunition to the Iraqi Security Forces; 100,000 
Euro to the NATO Training Mission - Iraq (NTM-I) Trust Fund; 
and has paid for approximately 172,000 Euro worth of 
transport costs and port fees for the movement of 77 T-72 
tanks from Hungary to Iraq (across Slovenian territory). 
Since 2003, five Slovenian police trainers have been training 
the Iraqi Police Force at the Jordan International Police 
Training Center (JIPTC).  Additionally, the Slovenian NGO 
"Together" has trained over 200 Iraqi psychiatrists in 
psycho-social rehabilitation for children affected by war. 
Finally, Slovenia,s contribution to Iraq includes one 
liaison officer (LNO) assigned to Central Command (CENTCOM) 
Headquarters in Tampa, Florida. 
 
¶16. (U) AFGHANISTAN:  Slovenia has participated in the 
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan 
since 2003, contributing Special Forces, firefighters and 
veterinarians.  Currently, Slovenia has 48 troops deployed to 
the Italian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Herat 
(western Afghanistan); as well as two troops operating in 
ISAF headquarters in Kabul.  In addition, Slovenia 
contributes one LNO to CENTCOM Headquarters in Tampa, Florida 
to support ISAF operations.  Slovenia plans to maintain its 
current force levels in ISAF through 2007. 
¶17. (U) KOSOVO:  In 2005, Slovenia increased its force 
contribution in Kosovo threefold, from 32 to 92 soldiers. 
The current GOS contributions to the Kosovo Force (KFOR) 
include a Military Police platoon and other forces supporting 
various headquarters elements and the National Support 
Element (NSE).  Slovenia plans to increase its presence in 
KFOR by deploying a transportation company in 2006, bringing 
its contribution to between 300-400 personnel.  Slovenia also 
plans to further increase its troop strength to approximately 
640 personnel in 2007 with the deployment of a Motorized 
Battalion. 
 
¶18. (U) BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA:  In 2004, the Slovenes 
contributed approximately 100 troops in support of the 
Stabilization Force (SFOR), which in December 2004 was 
transferred from NATO to the European Union (EU) as Operation 
Althea.  The Slovenes continue to support Operation Althea 
with 98 troops, as well as 2 staff personnel at NATO 
Headquarters in Sarajevo. 
 
¶19. (U) OTHER NATO OPERATIONS:  In 2005, Slovenia donated 
$120,000 worth of aid for Hurricane Katrina victims. 
Slovenia also donated 120,000 Euro in aid, 100,000 Euro in 
financing of strategic lift, and two Civil-Military 
Cooperation (CIMIC) personnel to the Pakistan Earthquake 
relief operation. 
 
------------------------------------ 
Summary: What We Hope to Accomplish 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶20. (U) Since the election of Prime Minister Jansa,s 
center-right government in late 2004, Slovenia has emerged as 
a close Ally in the Global War on Terror and a capable 
partner in the advancement of the President's freedom agenda. 
 Its foreign policy has shifted in parallel with its defense 
transformation: with the accelerated development of the 
SAF,s expeditionary capabilities, Slovenia has assumed 
greater responsibility for the projection of security and 
promotion of democracy abroad -- in Afghanistan, Bosnia, 
Kosovo, Iraq, and soon, as part of an EU mission in the 
Democratic Republic of the Congo.  All of this testifies to 
an expansion of Slovenia,s strategic horizons and the 
development of a truly global security policy that is based 
on strategic partnerships within NATO and the EU.  We should 
applaud Slovenia for these achievements and this strategic 
vision and encourage it to expand its capabilities and 
contributions even further. 
 
¶21. (SBU) More specifically, the GOS should be encouraged to 
stick to its commitment of spending two percent of GDP on 
defense by 2008.  Equally importantly, Slovenia should be 
encouraged to focus its defense spending on its NATO Force 
Goals, which will require a hefty commitment of human and 
material resources.  In policy terms, Slovenia is a proponent 
of continued NATO expansion and is likely to endorse our 
vision of streamlined partnerships, greater common funding, 
and an enhanced operational capability for the NATO Reaction 
Force.  Slovenia is keen to see the Alliance continue its 
successful transformation and plans to take an active role in 
providing security where it is needed.  As evidence of this, 
Slovenia has announced it plans to further increase its force 
contributions overseas from the current level of 6 percent of 
total deployable forces to 11 percent in 2007.  Your visit 
will be an opportunity to encourage Slovenia to stick to this 
commitment and to learn more about its plans for future 
deployments. 
ROBERTSON