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Viewing cable 10BRATISLAVA12, SLOVAKIA CAUTIOUS ON CUBA

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If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #10BRATISLAVA12.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
10BRATISLAVA12 2010-01-13 13:35 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Bratislava
VZCZCXRO6877
RR RUEHIK
DE RUEHSL #0012 0131335
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 131335Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0336
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHSL/AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA 0395
UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000012 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR WHA, EUR/CE, DRL, PRM 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREL SOCI CU LO
SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA CAUTIOUS ON CUBA 
 
REF: STATE 131637 
 
1. PolOff delivered reftel points to Martin Podstavek, desk 
officer for Latin America at the Slovak MFA.  Podstavek 
appreciated the information about the recent U.S. engagement 
with the GOC, particularly on improving communication 
opportunities for the Cuban people.  Podstavek said that the 
Slovaks have been consulting closely with their Czech colleagues 
in advance of the EU discussions on Cuba during the Spanish 
presidency.  Slovakia will continue to support the balanced 
two-track approach, engaging both the GOC and the opposition, 
and does not support an extreme position either way. 
 
2. Slovakia continues to prioritize development of bilateral 
trade relations; in October 2008 the two countries signed a 
bilateral economic cooperation agreement and in April 2009 there 
was a mixed commission meeting in Havana.  The Slovaks estimate 
that the Cubans have unpaid debts to the Slovak government from 
the communist era totaling approximately 11 million euros, and 
they are actively seeking compensation for these debts.  In 
2007, Slovakia had a positive trade balance of 25 million 
dollars; in 2008 just over 6 million dollars. 
 
3. In October 2008, at our request, the GOS accepted eight Cuban 
political refugees from Guantanamo and resettled them in Central 
Slovakia with some success. Six of the eight remain.  On a 
December 2009 trip to Washington, the Deputy Prime Minister and 
Minister of Interior Robert Kalinak agreed to take an additional 
two to four refugees from Guantanamo, and we are continuing to 
pursue this second resettlement with the GOS. 
 
4. Generally, Slovakia's position with respect to human rights 
in Cuba is threefold.  First, the Slovaks believe that human 
rights concerns should be raised during high level visits. 
Second, the Slovaks believe that GOC should not prevent Slovaks 
from meeting with the political opposition.  And third, dialogue 
with the GOC should not be stalled because of a perceived lack 
of progress on human rights. 
 
EDDINS