CZECHS REQUEST U.S. INFORMATION ON GEORGIA'S

S E C R E T PRAGUE 001522

SIPDIS

EUR/NCE FOR FICHTE, USNATO FOR SHEEHAN, TBILISI FOR BRINK,
MOSCOW FOR VIGUERIE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/19/2015
TAGS: IZ EZ PREL PGOV
SUBJECT: CZECHS REQUEST U.S. INFORMATION ON GEORGIA'S
MILITARY BUILDUP

REF: A. PRAGUE 01349


B. PRAGUE 1004

C. IIR 6 824 0046 05

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


1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 4.


2. (S) Czech MFA Director for Common Foreign and Security
Policy Peter Kaiser Oct 19 asked Pol-Mil Off whether the
United States could share information with the Czech MFA on
the current effort by Georgia to build up its armed forces.
Kaiser noted there had been a recent spike in applications
for export licenses for military material destined for
Georgia, but did not elaborate on the types or quantities of
equipment covered in the requests. Kaiser said the MFA would
like to allow Georgia to build a reasonable national military
capability but he is keen to ensure the flow of Czech arms to
Tbilisi does not become a trigger for instability. The
Czechs, he said, do not have sufficient perspective on
current Georgian military capabilities and needs to allow for
informed decisions on arms export licenses. The Czechs intend
to cease licensing arms shipments to Georgia at some stage,
and Kaiser will soon make a judgment about timing the
introduction of this new policy. The motivation for this
decision, he said, is that "use of Czech arms in unstable
areas of Georgia would be a disaster.8


3. (S) In addition to the small quantities of U.S.-funded
shipments of training munitions from the Czech republic to
Georgia (Refs A and B),the Czechs appear to have sold a
large quantity of arms to Tbilisi (Ref C). Russia has been
publicly vocal in its opposition to further arming of Georgia
by the Czech Republic. The GOCR is both quietly concerned by
Russian complaints, and adamant that it wants to ensure Czech
arms do not embolden Tbilisi to the point of initiating armed
conflict in unstable areas.


4. (S) Action request: Post requests a U.S. opinion on
whether Georgia is sufficiently armed at this time, and
whether a Czech cessation of arms transfers to Georgia would
have a positive or negative effect from a U.S. perspective.
Post also requests an assessment of Georgia's reasonable
military needs for self-defense if such information is
available and can be released to the GOCR.
CABANISS