CZECH MFA FOCUSES "LESSONS LEARNED" ASSISTANCE ON

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRAGUE 000832

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PREL EZ CU BO IZ
SUBJECT: CZECH MFA FOCUSES "LESSONS LEARNED" ASSISTANCE ON
CUBA AND BELARUS

REF: PRAGUE 814


1. Summary: The Czech MFA office designed to promote
democratic transformations based on Czech experience is now
in its first year of operation. Priority areas for activity
are Belarus and Cuba, with the office supporting other MFA
assistance in Iraq; future targets are Ukraine, Moldova,
Serbia and Burma. Working largely through NGOs, the office
aims to support development of the civil society through
written materials, visits to the CR, seminars, and direct
support to local NGOs. The Czechs are planning to begin
coordination of assistance with V4 partners, and welcome
cooperation with other institutions, including from the U.S.


2. The Czech MFA's Office of Transformation Cooperation came
into existence last year. Headed by Gabriela Dlouha and
under the patronage of Deputy Foreign Minister (and future
Ambassador to the United States) Petr Kolar -- both veterans
of former President Vaclav Havel's staff -- the office aims
to add a new element to Czech diplomacy, funding NGOs and
direct efforts to promote democratic transformations based on
lessons learned in the Czech Republic. The office has a
modest budget of 14 million crowns (USD 600,000) for 2005,
and expects this to increase to 20 million crowns next year.
While some projects the office handles (mainly those funded
by other sources) have specific budgets, Dlouha does not
currently have a country-specific breakdown of activity to
date (below).


3. The office works closely with Czech NGOs, particularly
People in Need, and with select NGOs in target countries.
According to Dlouha, her office coordinates with the MFA's
Office of Development Assistance, as well as the Human Rights
Office and the country desks. But Dlouha notes that unlike
development assistance, which the MFA coordinates with the
formal input of ten other Czech ministries, her office's
assistance comes under the exclusive purview of the MFA.
(Note: septel will discuss Czech government plans to meet
new EU targets for development assistance.)


4. During a discussion on May 26, Dlouha discussed the
priorities and current and future activities of the office.

Belarus
--------------
With Presidential elections due next year, Dlouha described
Belarus as her top priority. Activity to date focuses on
bringing young Belarusians to the CR for exposure and
training, offering support to local NGOs, and translating
material (see below). On the former, the office is currently
offering seminars in the CR for young people (with People in
Need),and planning a "summer school for young scientists"
which will take place in cooperation with a French group. In
terms of local NGOs, Dlouha said none have yet been selected
for cooperation. Dlouha described the experience to date as
good, with selected participants having no trouble traveling
to Prague, although she fears a backlash at some point.

Cuba
--------------
Support for the dissident movement on the island is a leading
MFA priority (reftel and septel). Projects funded by
Dlouha's office to date include an (unspecified) effort to
support the International Committee for Democracy in Cuba,
supporting an upcoming University of Miami/Institute of Cuban
Studies seminar on "the transformation process and lessons
learned," translating short thematic studies/essays on the
lessons learned from the Czech transformation (these are
being commissioned by the MFA and will also be translated
into Belorusian and possibly other languages; they will be
distributed primarily through Czech embassies),and making
other (unspecified) contributions to a network of independent
libraries. Another possible area for support is a study in
Cuba and the CR on the "psychological aspects of
transformation." Dlouha noted that her office's activities
in Cuba are complemented by work done through People in Need
and the independent efforts of Vaclav Havel and others. As
an aside, Dlouha said that the Club of Madrid, bringing
together former statesman to discuss Cuban developments, was
likely to meet in Prague in November (Prague was the site of
an ICDC meeting last September).

Iraq
--------------
Dlouha's office is coordinating a GOCR-funded program (with
40 million crown budget for 2005-06, which comes from a
separate account for Iraqi assistance),together with People
in Need, to train Iraqi NGOs in both Jordan and Iraq. As
part of this effort the MFA is translating into Arabic and
English a Czech "workbook" on NGO management. The MFA is
also funding training of Iraqi judges at the Prague-based
CEELI Institute. And they are cooperating with the Charles
University economic institute CERGE-EI on internships for
Czech (and Afghan) students, at a budget of 56 million crowns
for 2005-09 (also funded from outside her office).

Future targets: Ukraine, Serbia, Moldova, Burma
-------------- ---
Dlouha's young office has limited its early activity, but
planning is underway for projects in other countries. In
Ukraine the office is considering a project on transformation
of the security services (together with the Prague Security
Studies Institute). The office wants to support other MFA
priorities, in which the Balkans figure prominently: Dlouha
is investigating a program to support military reform and
NATO integration in Serbia. Moldova is another MFA priority,
and the Czechs will open an embassy there this summer. In
coordination with the EU action plan for Moldova, Dlouha is
looking for local NGOs with which she can cooperate on a
suitable project. Finally, Dlouha hopes to launch some
activity in Burma, but has nothing on the immediate horizon.

V4 coordination and other international cooperation
-------------- --------------
Dlouha acknowledged there is a great deal of common ground
with other governments/NGOs in the region. She is hosting in
Prague in early June the first meeting of Visegrad 4 partners
(CR, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary) devoted solely to the issue
of transformation assistance. Dlouha said she has discussed
possible cooperation with the German Marshall Fund, and is
ready to cooperate with other partners.
HILLAS