Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PRAGUE411
2006-04-20 15:36:00
SECRET
Embassy Prague
Cable title:
CZECH GOVERNMENT TO INVESTIGATE POSSIBLE
how-toVZCZCXRO9456 OO RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV DE RUEHPG #0411 1101536 ZNY SSSSS ZZH O 201536Z APR 06 FM AMEMBASSY PRAGUE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7238 INFO RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 1724 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0127 RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
S E C R E T PRAGUE 000411
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/NCE, PM/RSAT FOR DOWLEY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/19/2016
TAGS: MARR MASS PARM VE EZ
SUBJECT: CZECH GOVERNMENT TO INVESTIGATE POSSIBLE
VENEZUELAN PRODUCTION OF CZECH ARMS
REF: STATE 61441
Classified By: Acting DCM Michael Dodman for reasons
1.4 (b) & (d)
S E C R E T PRAGUE 000411
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/NCE, PM/RSAT FOR DOWLEY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/19/2016
TAGS: MARR MASS PARM VE EZ
SUBJECT: CZECH GOVERNMENT TO INVESTIGATE POSSIBLE
VENEZUELAN PRODUCTION OF CZECH ARMS
REF: STATE 61441
Classified By: Acting DCM Michael Dodman for reasons
1.4 (b) & (d)
1. (S) Poloff and ARMA April 20 delivered reftel demarche on
possible Venezuelan production of the Czech CZ-75 pistol to
Petr Kaiser, Director of the MFA's CFSP Department. Kaiser,
who is responsible for all arms licensing decisions made by
the MFA, promised he would request an immediate investigation
by Czech intelligence.
2. (S) Kaiser said the Czech government sees Chavez much in
the same way as they see Castro. All applications to send
lethal or high-tech military material to Venezuela have been
denied since at least the beginning of MFA computer records
(in 2004). The MFA had decided to go a step further, refusing
to allow Czech arms to even be marketed to Venezuela. Kaiser
noted the highest profile denial of an application was for an
attempted sale to Venezuela of L-159 subsonic fighter jets.
3. (S) Kaiser confirmed that a Czech Government license would
be required for any Czech company to collaborate on
Venezuelan production of Czech technology. He said that the
MFA would definitely oppose any application to produce the
CZ-75 pistol in Venezuela. Kaiser also noted that Calibrate,
the company alleged to be involved in the deal, was a new
name to him (Note: By virtue of his position and his
meticulous approach to arms licensing, Kaiser is familiar
with all the major arms companies in the Czech Republic, and
is popular with very few of them. End note).
4. (S) Kaiser also shared that the issue of EU arms sales to
Venezuela had recently been discussed at length in Brussels,
and it was well known that the United States was very unhappy
with Spain's conduct.
5. (S) Comment: In the April 20 meeting Kaiser did not return
to his earlier statement that he had once refused a license
for the manufacture of Czech pistols relating to Venezuela.
Post expects the GOCR will conduct a vigorous investigation
and will share progress and resluts with us. Post would like
to thank those involved in fulfilling our request to make
this intelligence releasable to the Czechs.
DODMAN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/NCE, PM/RSAT FOR DOWLEY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/19/2016
TAGS: MARR MASS PARM VE EZ
SUBJECT: CZECH GOVERNMENT TO INVESTIGATE POSSIBLE
VENEZUELAN PRODUCTION OF CZECH ARMS
REF: STATE 61441
Classified By: Acting DCM Michael Dodman for reasons
1.4 (b) & (d)
1. (S) Poloff and ARMA April 20 delivered reftel demarche on
possible Venezuelan production of the Czech CZ-75 pistol to
Petr Kaiser, Director of the MFA's CFSP Department. Kaiser,
who is responsible for all arms licensing decisions made by
the MFA, promised he would request an immediate investigation
by Czech intelligence.
2. (S) Kaiser said the Czech government sees Chavez much in
the same way as they see Castro. All applications to send
lethal or high-tech military material to Venezuela have been
denied since at least the beginning of MFA computer records
(in 2004). The MFA had decided to go a step further, refusing
to allow Czech arms to even be marketed to Venezuela. Kaiser
noted the highest profile denial of an application was for an
attempted sale to Venezuela of L-159 subsonic fighter jets.
3. (S) Kaiser confirmed that a Czech Government license would
be required for any Czech company to collaborate on
Venezuelan production of Czech technology. He said that the
MFA would definitely oppose any application to produce the
CZ-75 pistol in Venezuela. Kaiser also noted that Calibrate,
the company alleged to be involved in the deal, was a new
name to him (Note: By virtue of his position and his
meticulous approach to arms licensing, Kaiser is familiar
with all the major arms companies in the Czech Republic, and
is popular with very few of them. End note).
4. (S) Kaiser also shared that the issue of EU arms sales to
Venezuela had recently been discussed at length in Brussels,
and it was well known that the United States was very unhappy
with Spain's conduct.
5. (S) Comment: In the April 20 meeting Kaiser did not return
to his earlier statement that he had once refused a license
for the manufacture of Czech pistols relating to Venezuela.
Post expects the GOCR will conduct a vigorous investigation
and will share progress and resluts with us. Post would like
to thank those involved in fulfilling our request to make
this intelligence releasable to the Czechs.
DODMAN