CZECHS WILL SEEK U.S. HELP TO CREATE PRT IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRAGUE 000225

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/NCE, PM/RSAT FOR FORTIN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2016
TAGS: AF EZ NATO PARM PREL PTER
SUBJECT: CZECHS WILL SEEK U.S. HELP TO CREATE PRT IN
AFGHANISTAN

REF: PRAGUE 96

Classified By: Acting DCM Michael Dodman for reasons
1.4 (b) & (d)


1. (C) Summary: The Czech MFA hopes to have joint agreement
with a reluctant MOD by the end of May to field a Czech-led
PRT mission in Afghanistan. Approval for the mission would
fall to a post-June-election government, but keeping to the
May target would protect the mission from political tampering
and make eventual authorization more likely. The MFA's
Political Director plans to seek U.S. assistance in
facilitating a Czech PRT during his March 20-24 meetings in
Washington. End summary.


2. (C) PolOff and DATT met with Vaclav Balek, Deputy Director
of the MFA's Security Policy Department Feb 28 to request an
update about Czech hopes to field a Provincial Reconstruction
Team (PRT) in Afghanistan in 2007. Poloff and DATT had a
similar discussion March 1st with Radomir Jahoda, Director of
the MOD's Defense Policy Department. The Czechs currently
contribute 44 troops to the German-led PRT, stationed at
Badakshan.


3. (C) In the meeting at the MFA, Balek shared that a recent
planning session between the MFA and MOD had been
contentious, with the MOD focused on logistical, manpower,
and financial concerns. Balek shared that this dynamic had
played out before, when the GOCR was considering the fielding
of an EU battlegroup. In that case the MOD eventually
abandoned its opposition and became an enthusiastic supporter
of that mission. Balek said the MFA and MOD are now working
together to identify available Czech units, and compiling a
list of the areas where the Czechs would need international
support in order to field a PRT. As a part of that process
the MFA believes between 100 and 150 troops will be made
available for the mission. Deployment would be in Spring

2007.


4. (C) MFA Political Director Martin Povejsil plans to raise
the Czechs' PRT ambitions during his visit to Washington
March 20-24. Balek said Povejsil will request U.S. assistance
to provide the necessary capabilities, or to assist the
Czechs in finding NATO partners with the necessary skills to
support or join a Czech PRT. Balek said the MFA Security
Policy Department will share the substance of Povejsil's PRT
briefing papers for his Washington trip as soon as they
become available. This includes the list of identified
capability shortfalls. The Czechs hope this will facilitate
more effective and practical discussions about a Czech PRT
during Povejsil's Washington meetings. Foreign Minister
Svoboda is a champion of the plan for a Czech PRT within the
domestic political arena. He intends to raise the issue at a
requested meeting with Secretary Rice in April, a move which
could provide important political momentum for the project in
Prague.


5. (C) The MFA believes that, if it can identify partners to
meet the shortfalls, the planning process might be complete
and "packaged" by the end of May. By then the Czech political
leadership's focus on the June elections will mean the matter
will have to fall to the next Government. Balek felt the
elections, while not completely predictable, did not present
a major political threat to the mission. He outlined plans to
minimize the domestic political impact of a new Czech PRT by
rolling this prepackaged concept into the regular annual
foreign deployments authorization process. This usually goes
before the cabinet in the summer, and before Parliament in
September.


6. (C) The Ministry of Defense remains much less optimistic.
Jahoda confirmed the MFA and MOD are working together to
identify shortfalls, but believes it is more likely than not
that the GOCR will conclude it does have the ability to lead
a PRT at this time. Jahoda also mentioned that a Czech
withdrawal from their involvement in the German PRT in
Afghanistan would lose them four billets at the command
center in Potsdam, where the Czechs would like to base their
operational headquarters for a Czech-led EU Battlegroup in

2009. DATT advised Jahoda that the MOD should not rush to a

PRAGUE 00000225 002 OF 002


negative judgment on the issue of a PRT, and should explore
all options for collaboration with allies before making a
recommendation.


7. (C) Comment: This Czech PRT initiative began in the MFA,
where it was thought that the Czech Republic had too low a
profile in Afghanistan, and was not receiving due recognition
for personnel already deployed. The MFA appears confident
that, at the political level, it can force the MOD to agree
to undertake the mission before the elections, thus making
the idea more resistant to political tampering by a new
government. Foreign Minister Svoboda will be crucial in this
process. Post will continue to work with the GOCR to
encourage and facilitate the creation of a Czech PRT, and
will engage with Minister of Defense Kuehnl and his staff to
encourage such a deployment. End Comment.
CABANISS