ERB RADIO PROJECT: CZECHS LOOKING FOR WAYS AROUND

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAGUE 000142 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/NCE; SALLY KUX, EUR/ACE E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/09/2016 TAGS: BO EAID EZ PL SUBJECT: ERB RADIO PROJECT: CZECHS LOOKING FOR WAYS AROUND POLISH IMPASSE REF: 2005 PRAGUE 1601 Classified By: A/DCM Michael Dodman for reasons 1.4 b+d. ¶1. (C) In Poloff's meeting on February 3 with Gabriela Dlouha, Director of Czech MFA's Transformation Coordination Unit (TRANS),Dlouha expressed concern with delays affecting the European Radio Broadcast (ERB) project. (Note: ERB plans to broadcast independent radio programs into Belarus from Poland (reftel). However, ERB's access to FM frequencies in Poland has been hampered to date. End note.) Dlouha said she heard that Ukrainian FM Borys Tarasyuk told EU Parliamentarians in a recent session that Kiev might be willing to issue a license needed to broadcast ERB programs into Belarus from Ukraine. While Dlouha conceded broadcasting from Poland is preferable to Ukraine because coverage in Belarus is greater, Dlouha wondered whether broadcasting could begin in Ukraine, and later be supplemented by broadcasts from Poland, in order to reach as many Belarusians as possible before the election. She said the GOCR is thinking about consulting with the GOU to determine its receptiveness to the idea. CABANISS