CZECH RESPONSE TO COMMUNITY OF DEMOCRACIES

1. (U) This cable is Sensitive But Unclassified; not for
internet distribution.



2. (SBU) Poloff met with Jan Kara, Director of the UN
Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, regarding the
Czech Government's position on Haiti, Iraq, Singapore, and
Taiwan inclusion into the Community of Democracies.
According to Kara, the Czechs are supportive of observer
status for Haiti and Iraq, though he mentioned again that it
would be preferable to wait for the outcome of the elections
in Iraq before making a final decision there. Kara said that
the Czech Republic is ready to be quite flexible on
Singapore. Comment: The Czechs do not appear to have a
strong position on Singapore. End comment.



3. (SBU) On Taiwan, however, though Kara agreed that
inviting the Taiwanese as "guests" as outlined in ref A
sounds like a good idea, he was anxious to tell Poloff that
he had been contacted directly by a representative of the
Taipei Economic and Cultural Office here in Prague, who had
lobbied him strongly for the Czechs to support Taiwan as a
participant. Kara said that the representative, Mr. Ssu-tsun
Shen, had been unaware of the guest status idea when they had
spoken. Kara hoped the USG would approach the Taiwanese
directly to coordinate positions.
CABANISS