CZECH MOD STAFF CONFIRM PLANS FOR EXTENSION OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAGUE 001008

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/01/2015
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS MASS IZ EZ
SUBJECT: CZECH MOD STAFF CONFIRM PLANS FOR EXTENSION OF
IRAQ DEPLOYMENT

REF: A. PRAGUE 948


B. STATE 111082

Classified By: Acting DCM Mike Dodman for reasons 1.4 b+d.


1. (C) Summary: Czech MOD senior officials offered
assurances that plans for extension of the Czech military
police trainers currently in Iraq are continuing, and that
the contingent would remain in its current status, i.e., part
of MNF-I, but with the hope that they would "eventually" be
moved under the NATO Training Mission. Czech planning is
based on extension of UNSCR 1546. End summary.


2. (C) ADCM and DATT met June 29 with Czech MOD Director of
Security Policy Zdenek Borkovec to follow-up on Ambassador's
June 21 meeting with DefMin Kuehnl (ref A). During that
meeting, Kuehnl had expressed reservations about Czech troops
remaining in Iraq if they remained part of MNF-I. Borkovec
stated clearly that the Czech Army and MOD staff are
proceeding on the assumption that the deployment of 95
military police near Basra will be extended through 2006, and
will remain in its current form. Borkovec shared a copy of
the draft bill authorizing 2006 deployments, which uses the
exact same language as the most recent extension in Jan 2005.
Specifically, the troops will serve in Iraq with the
expectation that they will "eventually" become part of the
NATO Training Mission.


3. (C) Borkovec noted that the question of whether the Czech
trainers are under MNF-I or NTM-I was, for him, purely a
political one. As Minister Kuehnl noted, and as is well
understood by all involved in the debate, some Czech
politicians continue to question the MNF-I's mandate, and it
would therefore be politically expedient if there concerns
were addressed by moving the Czech contingent firmly under
MNF-I. However, there is broad expectation that the
deployment extension will receive support from the opposition
ODS (a stance that all of our ODS contacts regularly
confirm),so that a few abstentions or even defections from
the ruling coalition would not doom the extension.


4. (C) Borkovec added that the deployment legislation is
predicated on UNSCR 1546, i.e., that it will be extended
beyond December 2005 or there will be a "suitable
replacement."


5. (C) Borkovec confirmed that the few Czech surgeons at a
British military hospital in Iraq would not be extended next
year.


6. (C) Turning back to the USG proposals on the future of the
Iraq coalition (ref B),Borkovec inquired about the specific
plans for coalition "transition teams," in particular whether
they would be involved in combat operations. We referred MOD
staff to the President's 28 June speech at Fort Bragg for the
latest thinking. Borkovec said the Czechs would have to
"consider" whether and how to engage in such transition
teams, and looked forward to continuing the discussion as
planning evolves.


7. (C) Comment: Based on several discussions with MOD and
MFA staff in recent weeks, it appears that Minister Kuehnl's
hesitation about MNF-I does not reflect a shift in GOCR
views. Nonetheless, given the fluid political situation
here, we will continue to monitor the 2006 deployment plan as
it makes its way forward. We note as well concern about
UNSCR 1546, which the MFA has stressed will be an important
part of any debate over Iraq deployment.
CABANISS