CZECHS TO STICK WITH EU ON SA/LW NEGOTIATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAGUE 000841 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2015 TAGS: PREL EZ PREM SUBJECT: CZECHS TO STICK WITH EU ON SA/LW NEGOTIATIONS REF: STATE 99866 Classified By: Pol-Econ Counselor Michael Dodman for reasons 1.4 c+d (C) In response to reftel demarche, Czech MFA Director for UN Affairs Jan Kara told Pol-Econ Couns on June 2 that the CR is likely to stick with the EU consensus on the questions of marking of ammunition and legal nature of the agreement. Kara said that USG views on these two points are well understood among EU negotiators, and therefore he expected there would be some compromise on the EU position, since EU countries want to reach agreement. He thought EU members were firmer on the status of the agreement, less so on the marking of ammunition, but otherwise could offer no comments on end game for these negotiations. HILLAS