CZECH ATTITUDES TOWARD AFGHAN OPIUM PRODUCTION AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRAGUE 001510

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/NCE ERIC FICHTE, INR/I

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/05/2016
TAGS: PINR EAID EUN SNAR AF EZ
SUBJECT: CZECH ATTITUDES TOWARD AFGHAN OPIUM PRODUCTION AND
COUNTERNARCOTIC EFFORTS (C-CN6-01612)

REF: A. STATE 192093


B. PRAGUE 1466

Classified By: Political Economic Counselor
Michael Dodman for reasons 1.4 (b)&(d)


1. (C) Summary: In response to reftel, Czech authorities said
that the increased production of opium in Afghanistan will
not change the character of Czech operations in Afghanistan.
Ministry of Interior officials doubt that the increased
production would have a negative impact on Czech society as
few people use the drug despite already cheap prices. End
Summary.


2. The following paragraphs are answers keyed to questions
posed in Ref A.


A. Czech Government Reactions


3. (C) Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Department of Asia
and Pacific Affairs Chief Jiri Husner and Regional Specialist
Radek Rubes said that the MFA is aware of the increase in
production of opium in Afghanistan and failures of the Afghan
government to adequately address the issue, but these
developments would not/not lead to a change in Czech support
and commitment to Afghanistan (Reftel B).


4. (C) The Czech Government (GOCR) is not providing any legal
guidance or technical support to the Afghan government in
developing counterdrug legislation. Husner and Rubes
acknowledged the extent of the problem, and are following the
issue closely.


5. (C) MFA Afghan security policy expert Monika Studena
described the MFA's attitude towards Kabul as one of
frustration, but the MFA is not likely to discontinue its
support of Afghanistan. MFA, which has lead on Afghan policy,
believes that the counternarcotics issue is an Afghan problem
that the Afghans themselves must solve. Studena underscored
the fact that the international community can provide support
for Afghan initiatives, and the Czechs have done so with
police trainers, but cannot lead on such issues. Studena
noted that Czech troops will take part in special operations
in Southern Afghanistan with the British (who have lead on
counter-narcotics activities),and will follow their lead in
regards to the war on opium production.


6. (C) MFA Security Policy Director Veronika Smigolova said
that the failure of the Afghan government to deal with
increased narcotics production would not influence the Czech
government,s attitude to military deployments. She said that
counternarcotics operations, while a worthy goal, should not
be an issue for NATO troops in the field. She said that this
attitude did not stem primarily from force-protection
concerns. Rather, the success of the nation-building in
Afghanistan should be NATO,s primary objective, with tasks
such as counternarcotics operations left to other
international community actors.


7. (C) Husner and Rubes said that the GOCR will not increase
counternarcotics efforts on its own, but will wait for U.S.
lead on this issue. They also indicated that the GOCR would
like to implement alternative livelihood programs, but has
not done so. They said that Czech non-governmental
organizations have been active and helpful in treating Afghan
drug addicts.


B. Afghanistan's Increased Opium Cultivation Impact on Europe


8. (C) Ministry of Interior Security Policy Department
Specialist Marcel Wohlgemuth said that it is still too early
for any impact on the Czech drug scene from the increased
opium production in Afghanistan. However, he doubts that
heroin will become an issue for the Czech Republic
considering the current low rates of use despite already low
prices. He explained that marijuana and ecstasy are the drugs
of choice among Czechs because they are party drugs. Heroin
addicts are rather anti-social, preferring to get high in
small groups or by themselves. Wohlgemuth said that heroin
users can get high for as little as CZK 100 (USD 4),and buy
one to two grams of heroin for CZK 500 (USD 20). Heroin is
currently slightly less popular than paint thinner, which can
be purchased for CZK 20 (USD .90) Wohlgemuth said.


9. (C) Heroin purity levels and prices have remained stable
for the last five years. There has been no additional social
problems caused by heroin, however it is used most often by
socially excluded groups, such as the Roma.


PRAGUE 00001510 002 OF 002



10. (C) Heroin is not a drug of top concern and is not
expected to become one. National Drug Headquarters statistics
show a drop in heroin seizures, from 36 kilograms in 2005 to
15 kilograms for the first 9 months of 2006. Official
statistics also show that the number of heroin and opiate
addicts has dropped in the last three years.
GRABER