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DE RUEHSL #0503/01 2530611
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 100611Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1184
INFO RUEHPS/USOFFICE PRISTINA PRIORITY 0077
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 0413
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO BRUSSELS BE PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000503 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR, EUR/NCE, EUR/SCE, P, IO/RHS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/06/2017 
TAGS: PREL PHUM KCFE LO MEPP
SUBJECT: TOUR D'HORIZON WITH NEW SLOVAK POLITICAL DIRECTOR 
BUZEK 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Rodolphe M. Vallee, for Reasons 1.4 (b) and ( 
d) 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary.  In a cordial luncheon on September 5, DCM 
and new Slovak Political Director Roman Buzek exchanged views 
on Kosovo, the Middle East, CFE, and Slovakia's candidacy for 
the Human Rights Council. Buzek repeated well-known Slovak 
red lines on Kosovo, but confirmed that Slovakia would not, 
in the event of a failure to achieve a UNSCR, block an ESDP 
Mission to Kosovo. On CFE, Buzek pledged to provide the 
Embassy information regarding the Slovak ratification process 
within a few days. He stressed GOS insistence on full Russian 
implementation of the Istanbul commitments before depositing 
the instruments of ratification.  Buzek raised the issue of 
discussion within the EU to restart communication with Hamas, 
which the DCM countered would be a serious mistake.  Finally, 
Buzek commented on the challenge of promoting higher levels 
of foreign aid in the current political climate, and close to 
home, of maintaining Foreign Ministry staffing levels in the 
face of budget cuts. End Summary. 
 
¶2. (C) Kosovo: While Slovakia would much prefer a UNSCR on 
Kosovo, Buzek (who studied and served in Moscow) sees no 
chance that the Russians will change their stance.  In that 
case, Slovakia cannot recognize an independent Kosovo, nor 
could it participate in or even endorse an ESDP Mission 
there.  Slovak politicians would not countenance Slovak 
participation, and Slovak troops, according to Buzek, would 
not be welcome in Kosovo, in any case.  That said, Slovakia 
would not stand in the way of an ESDP Mission, UNSCR 
sanctioned or not.   Buzek briefed on the visit to Bratislava 
of Troika Member Wolfgang Ischinger.  In meetings with FM 
Kubis and MFA State Secretary Strofova on August 31, 
Ischinger stressed the need for EU unity and to prepare for 
next steps in case there is no UNSCR. 
 
3.(C) Human Rights Council:  Buzek shared Slovak pique that 
the Czechs had recently declared their candidacy for a seat 
on the Human Rights Council (HRC) after the Slovaks had 
announced their intentions several months ago.  According to 
Buzek, the Czechs are arguing that as holder of the EU 
Presidency in 2009, it should also have a seat on the HRC. 
Pointing out that the EU term was only for six months, while 
the HRC position lasts three years, Buzek expressed 
frustration that the Slovaks had not been able to convince 
their erstwhile countrymen to stand down, noting that, on 
occasion Slovaks and Czechs revert to their "competitive 
ways."  Buzek fears that the competition between the two 
could result in the election of the other two competitors, 
Serbia and Ukraine.  Buzek also commented that the Croatians 
are giving the Czechs a run for their money as a candidate 
for the UNSC seat the Slovaks are vacating.  He was not at 
all certain the Czechs would prevail. 
 
4.(C) CFE: Buzek reiterated FM Kubis's earlier call for a 
concrete, reciprocal plan to address the ongoing stalemate 
with Russia on CFE.  DCM underscored that the U.S. plan met 
those criteria:  it is reciprocal through the process, with 
scheduled benchmarks.  Buzek expressed appreciation for our 
plan and said that Slovakia would insist on full Russian 
implementation of Istanbul commitments before being able to 
deposit the articles of ratification; DCM confirmed that this 
was precisely the U.S. plan. 
 
¶5. (C) Middle East: Buzek raised (somewhat apologetically) 
the issue of pressure within the EU to restart communication 
with Hamas.  DCM countered strongly that this would be a 
serious mistake. Hamas was not willing to show any 
flexibility on the issue of dealing with Israel, and 
President Abbas and PM Fayyad need international support now 
more than ever.  Restarting talks with a violent, 
uncompromising Hamas would only damage prospects for progress 
between the Israelis and Palestinians. Buzek said he 
understood and agreed with our stance. 
 
¶6. (C) Slovak Foreign Aid: Buzek bemoaned the low level of 
funding for SlovakAid and expressed doubt that it would rise 
anytime soon.  MFA officials had hoped that sharp EU 
criticism of the low ratio of aid to GDP would sway the 
government.  However, neither the government nor the public 
appear to feel an obligation to allocate money for projects 
overseas.  Slovaks still think of themselves as aid 
recipients, not donors.  According to the government's budget 
plan, funding for SlovakAid is slated to rise to 400 million 
SK (approximately 16.2 million USD) in a few years (it is now 
166 million, or approximately 6.7 million USD), but Buzek 
said he would be quite surprised if that were the case. 
Buzek reacted positively to the Embassy's willingness to 
 
complement the GOS's projects with our small grants in 
promotion of transformational diplomacy. 
 
¶7. (C) MFA Staff Cuts:  MFA has cut 81 positions in response 
to Prime Minister Fico's call for a 20 percent 
across-the-board reduction in personnel in all ministries. 
The MFA reductions don't approach twenty percent (a full 20 
percent would be about 230 positions), but it has cut a 
higher percentage than any other ministry.  Buzek says the 
MFA hopes this will shield it from further pressure from 
Fico.  None of the eliminated positions are in embassies, and 
approximately 50 are positions that have not been filled for 
years. 
 
¶8. (C)  Bio Note:  Buzek is a forthcoming and collegial 
interlocutor, though lacking the dynamism of his predecessor, 
Miro Lajcak. He was always extremely cooperative as Director 
of IO affairs, including the UNSC. 
VALLEE