Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|
05PRAGUE1069 | 2005-07-15 15:17:00 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Embassy Prague |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. |
UNCLAS PRAGUE 001069 |
1. (U) Sensitive but Unclassified - Not for Internet Distribution. 2. (SBU) On July 12, Charge D'Affairs delivered reftel points on participation at the Dead Sea Donor's conference to Political Director at the MFA Martin Povejsil and Director of the Middle East Department Miloslav Stasek. The MFA confirmed that the Czech delegation to the Dead Sea Donor's conference would be headed by their Ambassador in Amman, Mr. Lane. As the Czech Republic is not a member of the Donor's Committee, they did not intend to send a delegation from Prague. 3. (SBU) The Czechs also provided an update on GOCR assistance to Iraq, which currently totals approximately $80 million US dols for the period 2003 to 2006. Czech assistance has focused on the following areas: -- humanitarian assistance; -- deployment of the 7th field hospital to Basra, Iraq for a six-month rotation; -- deployment of a 100-man military police unit in Basra which has been engaged in training Iraqi security forces since October 2003; -- secondment of 19 Czech experts to ORHA/CPA; one of which remains in the Iraqi MOI; -- humanitarian medevacs of Iraqi children and their families for medical treatment in the Czech Republic; -- continuous committment of Czech police trainers to Jordan; -- training of Iraqi experts in water treatment, transport, commerce and oil; -- training of Iraqi diplomats at the Diplomatic Academy of the MFA in the Czech Republic; -- protection of Iraqi cultural heritage including $400,000 for projects including restoration of manuscripts in the National Library of Baghdad; -- support for training of nearly 200 Iraqi judges in cooperation with the UK and CEELI;and -- transformation assistance and support of civil society institutions. 4. (SBU) Czech transformation assistance includes assistance in the field of human resource development including short and long-term study stays and scholarships for Iraqi students and graduates, exchange visits by experts from institutes of higher learning and technical training. Such projects have included specialized study stays in the Czech Republic for Iraqi medical personnel and visits of Iraqi specialists in the fields of oil industry, sewage treatment, pump stations, irrigation, air traffic control and others. Other projects include GOCR support for training courses for Iraqi judges and representatives of Iraqi non-profit organizations. 5. (SBU) In terms of new projects, the GOCR is considering release of an additional $5 million USD for promotion of reconstruction projects (currently the Czechs have spent approximately $20.8 million USD in this area). The Czechs have also offered to Iraq 14 experts to work in various areas and has made $1 million USD available to support this program. Visit Prague's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/prague/index. cfm DODMAN |