VZCZCXRO1057
OO RUEHBW
DE RUEHSL #0239 1431505
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 221505Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1738
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 0448
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 0419
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0160 C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000239 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/NCE, IO/UNP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2018 
TAGS:        
SUBJECT: USING SLOVAKIA'S ELECTION TO THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS 
COUNCIL 
 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Lawrence R. Silverman, for Reaso 
ns 1.4 b and d 
 
 1. (C)  Slovakia's election on May 21 to the UN Human Rights 
Council (HRC) is seen here as a significant step in the 
country's effort to carve out a bigger space for itself in 
the international arena.  Following its successful tenure on 
the UN Security Council (2006-7), the HRC bid was the logical 
next move.  Ironically, however, Slovakia's campaign for the 
HRC coincided with some discordant trends in both foreign and 
domestic policy.  At home, the government fought hard (and 
successfully) to pass legislation imposing a tough right of 
reply requirement on the press and is also trying to limit 
funding to NGO's, and thus, potentially, their activities. 
Slovak foreign policy activism under the auspices of Prime 
Minister Robert Fico has, in a certain sense, "shrunk." 
Fico's interests are predominantly domestic and economic; his 
foreign policy priorities -- Euro accession, foreign trade, 
and promoting better ties with Russia -- reflect those 
interests.  Slovak foreign assistance decreased this year and 
so has the government's willingness to speak out on human 
rights issues.  Despite these trends, we continue to believe 
that, given Slovakia's history, it can play a constructive 
role in helping other societies make the transition to 
democracy.  When pressed by us, for example, the MFA issued a 
good statement on Cuba Solidarity Day. Therefore, Post plans 
to use Slovakia's seat on the UN HRC -- and the commitments 
it has undertaken in this context -- as tools to engage the 
GOS more broadly on a range of human rights issues 
(including, when appropriate, in the domestic context) and to 
promote greater foreign policy activism. 
 
 2. (U) Text of MFA Statement on Slovakia's election to the UN 
Human Rights Council: 
 
The Slovak Republic achieved a remarkable diplomatic success 
by gaining a seat in the UN Human Rights Council, based in 
Geneva.  The UN member countries voted in favor of the Slovak 
candidacy in the elections held during the 62nd UN General 
Assembly session on May 21, 2008 in New York.  Slovakia 
competed together with Ukraine and Serbia for only two vacant 
posts within the central and Eastern European countries 
regional group. Slovakia won the support of 135 UN member 
countries. 
 
The Slovak Republic becomes for the very first time a member 
of this important body responsible for monitoring the 
protection of human rights worldwide. In the past, Slovakia 
did not sit on the former UN Commission on Human Rights, 
replaced by the current council in 2006. 
 
The UN Human Rights Council has 47 member countries elected 
proportionally from all regions of the world.  The membership 
in this body is considered a prestigious matter and is 
time-limited.  Slovakia's term of office will last three 
years.  At present, the European Union is represented in the 
Council by seven of its member states. 
 
The Slovak Republic is fully committed to the universal 
promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental 
freedoms.  Slovakia is a party to almost all international 
legal instruments in the area of human rights protection and 
humanitarian law.  As a non-permanent member of the UNSC in 
2006-7, the Slovak Republic was supporting the idea of 
creating the Human Rights Council aimed at strengthening 
human rights protection mechanisms within the UN. 
 
During its membership in the Human Rights Council, the Slovak 
Republic would like to play a positive and constructive role 
in the development and protection of human rights.  We are 
convinced that the Council should respond promptly to all 
cases of gross and systematic violations of human rights 
regardless of where they happen.  Slovakia will make efforts 
to ensure that the resolutions and recommendations adopted by 
the Council are viewed upon as encouragement for the 
countries concerned to achieve concrete improvements and 
progress in human rights protection on the ground.  The 
Slovak Republic intends to pay attention to the advancement 
of human rights in all its categories, including political, 
civic, economic, social and cultural rights. 
OBSITNIK