CZECH DEFENSE MINISTER ON VERA-E, AFGHAN PRT, AND

S E C R E T PRAGUE 000283

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/NCE, PM/RSAT FOR FORTIN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2016
TAGS: AF EZ NATO PARM PREL PTER ETTC KSTC MASS
SUBJECT: CZECH DEFENSE MINISTER ON VERA-E, AFGHAN PRT, AND
MISSILE DEFENSE

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


1. (S) Summary: Ambassador met March 14 with Czech Defense
Minister Karel Kuehnl to present the letter from SECDEF
Rumsfeld on the positive results of U.S. testing of the
VERA-E passive surveillance detection system. Afghanistan and
missile defense were also discussed. Kuehnl welcomed the
SECDEF's letter but said that actual sales of the VERA-E
would be important in the future. Kuehnl was not as
optimistic as the MFA on plans for a Czech-led PRT, but was
careful to say that the Ministry of Defense would not be a
roadblock. Kuehnl also said he was open to talks on missile
defense in the coming months, but cautioned that the
discussion should be kept low-profile until after the June
election; he said that Prime Minister Paroubek could distance
himself from missile defense if it were to become an
electoral liability. End summary.

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VERA-E: U.S. SEAL-OF-APPROVAL WELCOME
BUT CZECHS SAY MORE SALES ARE NEEDED
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2. (C) Kuehnl welcomed SECDEF Rumsfeld's favorable letter on
the VERA-E, saying the Czech Republic never had doubts about
the system's technical capabilities. He agreed with the
Ambassador that such a document would be useful in marketing
the system to allies. However the Minister observed that the
Czech Republic's industrial and social policies were taking a
back seat to national security policy on this issue. He said
praise of the system would not be enough. Failure of the VERA
to become commercially successful would lead to a "grave"
domestic political problem. Kuehnl said he is committed to
maintaining the superiority of allies, and not making them
more vulnerable. He hoped with the help of the United States
the Czechs could find ways to make Czech passive surveillance
technology less of a proliferation threat and therefore more
exportable. The Minister asked that the Ambassador
communicate the Czech request for practical measures to
Washington for action. The Ambassador responded that
Washington was aware and engaged, as the letter from SECDEF
Rumsfeld indicated. He said he understood the Minister's
concerns from both an economic and a political standpoint,
and assured Kuehnl the United States is grateful for Czech
cooperation on the VERA-E issue.

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MOD ON FORMING A CZECH-LED PRT:
VERY HARD BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE
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3. (C) The Ambassador shared with Kuehnl the United States'
favorable reactions to Czech interest in leading a Provincial
Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan, adding that the U.S.
would be prepared to help the Czechs identify potential
partner allies with the right capabilities. Kuehnl said
discussion of the issue was premature. Initially taking a
very negative tone, Kuehnl individually listed most of the
Czech Republic's ongoing deployments as evidence that the
Czech armed forces have more troops deployed than current
doctrine allows. However, Kuehnl went on to say he was not
prepared to rule out a PRT. He said the Ministry of Defense
could go forward but that the problem was political. Creation
of a Czech PRT would need the approval of both chambers of
Parliament. Additionally, an effective PRT would require
civilian programs from other ministries, which had not
prepared plans for how they might contribute.

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MISSILE DEFENSE CONSULTATIONS:
THE JUNE ELECTION MAKES THIS DELICATE
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4. (S) Kuehnl and the Ambassador also touched on the future
of discussions on missile defense. Kuehnl agreed there had
been several years of cooperation on the issue, but cautioned
that the pre-election period was a politically delicate time
for any work that might hit the press. He warned that
(highly-pragmatic) Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek could

distance himself from missile defense if it were to become an
electoral liability. Kuehnl said the Ministry of Defense is
interested in further talks but any work on the issue should
not/not be made public before the election. He suggested that
talk on missile defense be packaged as part of wider
discussions on political and military matters. Kuehnl said
that he saw no problem with private briefings to NATO allies
or Russia on missile defense.

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COMMENT:
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5. (C) Kuehnl's position on increased VERA-E system sales is
a reflection of rising pressure within the GOCR to authorize
more exports of this technology. The Minister believes there
is scope for more bilateral U.S.-Czech cooperation on this
issue.


6. (C) The PRT question continues to cause divisions in
Prague. The MFA is a promoter of the idea, the Minister of
Defense appears agnostic and aware of the costs, while most
of the MOD policy staff believe the Czechs cannot mount this
kind of operation. It is encouraging that Kuehnl is not
prepared to allow the MOD to become a bottleneck on the road
to a PRT. However, his days in this job are numbered (Note:
Kuehnl's party is unlikely to make it into parliament after
the June 2 election End note). It is an open question
whether a Czech PRT can be planned during the life of this
government for approval by the next.


7. (S) Kuehnl is not alone in seeing missile defense as a
delicate matter. All parties in the coalition government are
in full campaign mode. He is prepared to go ahead with
consultations in the interests of international cooperation
with a close ally, but is clearly focused on the possible
political threats to Czech involvement in the missile defense
program if the issue becomes a political football.
CABANISS