UPDATE: CZECHS STILL CONSIDERING CUBAN MIGRANT

UNCLAS PRAGUE 001190 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS EUR/NCE FOR ERIC FICHTE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREF SMIG CU EZ SUBJECT: UPDATE: CZECHS STILL CONSIDERING CUBAN MIGRANT RESETTLEMENT REF: A. STATE 124445 ¶B. PRAGUE 01033 ¶1. (SBU) Poloff met on September 19 with Czech Ministry of Interior Director of the Department for Asylum and Migration Policies Tomas Haisman, and Head of the Unit for Policy, International Relations and Information on Countries of Origin Pavla Fridrichova, to continue the discussion on possible resettlement of Cuban political migrants in the Czech Republic. Haisman said the Czechs may accept up to ten migrants per year, although no formal decision has been made. If the Czechs accept migrants for resettlement, the selection criteria must also be determined. Haisman said his office prefers to select candidates based on humanitarian criteria, e.g., handicapped people. MFA officials have previously expressed interest in candidates who have been politically persecuted. ¶2. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST: Czech MOI officials have logistical questions relating to the Cuban migrants. Therefore, post requests a point of contact to provide to the MOI. ¶3. (SBU) Comment. Deputy Foreign Minister Tomas Pojar strongly supports accepting some of the migrants for resettlement. The next step is a meeting between Foreign Minister Sasha Vondra and Interior Minister Ivan Langer to make the final decision and hash out the details. We expect the meeting to take place in the coming week. End comment. GRABER