Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05PRAGUE1247
2005-08-25 15:17:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Prague
Cable title:  

CZECH CABINET APPROVES 2006 FOREIGN DEPLOYMENTS

Tags:  EZ MOPS PREL PGOV AF IZ YI BK 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAGUE 001247 

SIPDIS

EUR/NCE FOR FICHTE, PM/RSAT FOR BOCKLAGE, EUR/RPM FOR
BAIRD, ANDERSON, AND PLUNKETT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/24/2015
TAGS: EZ MOPS PREL PGOV AF IZ YI BK
SUBJECT: CZECH CABINET APPROVES 2006 FOREIGN DEPLOYMENTS


Classified By: Political-Military Officer Brian Greaney
for reasons 1.4 (b) (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAGUE 001247

SIPDIS

EUR/NCE FOR FICHTE, PM/RSAT FOR BOCKLAGE, EUR/RPM FOR
BAIRD, ANDERSON, AND PLUNKETT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/24/2015
TAGS: EZ MOPS PREL PGOV AF IZ YI BK
SUBJECT: CZECH CABINET APPROVES 2006 FOREIGN DEPLOYMENTS


Classified By: Political-Military Officer Brian Greaney
for reasons 1.4 (b) (d)

1) (C) Summary: The Czech Cabinet on Aug 24 formally approved
and sent to Parliament plans for foreign deployments in 2006.
All major missions, including in Iraq, are to continue at
similar strength. The plans must still be approved by
Parliament, but national security policymakers do not foresee
significant difficulties. In order to avoid political
problems, news the Czechs will redeploy special forces to
Afghanistan should not be discussed outside the USG until
Minister of Defense Karel Kuehnl announces it personally in
Washington October 27. End summary.

2) (C) Deputy Minister of Defense for Policy Martin Belcik
informed the Charge August 25 that the cabinet has approved
Czech foreign deployment plans for 2006. Belcik said the
central pillar of the plan is continuity in the Balkans,
Iraq, and Afghanistan. In 2006 Czech forces will remain
deployed as part of KFOR and ALTHEA. He had no doubt the
current deployment of 100 military police trainers would
remain in Iraq and predicted a force level of 150 in
Afghanistan. In response to the Charge's question on possible
obstacles to Parliamentary approval, Belcik said while it
would be preferable to have the Czech personnel in Iraq under
NTM-I, he did not believe the current arrangement would
endanger the planned extension (Note: The draft bill repeats
the language used in the Jan 05 bill on Iraq deployment,
namely the Czech trainers will eventually move under the
NTM-I umbrella).

3) (C) In a separate meeting with the Charge, National
Security Advisor (equivalent) Miroslav Kostelka also
predicted parliamentary approval of the deployment package,
but noted that there are opponents among the ruling Social
Democrats, which could lead to a heated debate in Parliament.
He warned that Minister of Defense Kuehnl placed great
importance in personally announcing the future redeployment
of Czech Special Forces to Afghanistan. This is a planned
deliverable for Minister Kuehnl's October 27 meeting with
SECDEF Rumsfeld in Washington. Early leaks of the information
could impact the likely deployment of the unit.

4) (C) Defense Minister Karel Kuehnl, announcing the
cabinet's approval of the 2006 plan to the press, said the
number of Czech troops serving in KFOR will rise by 100. The
20-member helicopter unit in Bosnia would return home as
expected (Note: We know from another MOD source that the
Czechs will supplement their contingent by 20 personnel to
compensate for this loss). Full details of the bill will be
reported septel.

5) (C) Comment: National Security Advisor Kostelka left us
with the distinct impression that a highly visible U.S.
position on the 2006 deployment plan might be
counterproductive. We have heard this view previously, and
from our perspective, the Czech government appears to be
willing and on course to achieve its aims without a visible
push from Uncle Sam. We take seriously Kostelka's warning
about MOD Kuehnl's wish to announce the new Afghanistan
deployment during his visit to Washington. We recommend
keeping this information within the USG until Kuehnl tells
the world. End comment.
MUNTER