CZECH DEMOCRACY PROMOTION: CUBA

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 PRAGUE 000066 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/NCE; CALEB MCCARRY, WHA/CCA E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/22/2016 TAGS: PREL KDEM CU EZ SUBJECT: CZECH DEMOCRACY PROMOTION: CUBA REF: A. PRAGUE 0058 ¶B. 2005 PRAGUE 1560 ¶C. 2005 PRAGUE 1721 Classified By: A/DCM Michael Dodman for reasons 1.4 b+d. ¶1. (U) Summary and comment. This is the second in a series of cables highlighting Czech democracy promotion efforts (ref A),and provides details about the critical assistance provided by the Czechs in Cuba. A peaceful transition to democracy in Cuba remains a top foreign policy priority for the Czech Republic. The Czechs have a developed a two-pronged approach to achieving this goal: (1) to weaken the Castro regime, the GOCR advocates a tougher EU common policy on Cuba; and (2) to strengthen the Cuban democratic opposition, the GOCR funds Czech NGOs to provide training, financial support, and humanitarian aid for Cuban civil society and political prisoners. These NGOs also strive to increase public awareness and governmental support for Cuban democracy in Europe and Latin America. Details of Czech democracy promotion projects in Eastern Europe, Iraq, and elsewhere will be provided septel. End summary and comment. ¶2. (U) Poloff recently discussed Czech democracy promotion in Cuba with Gabriela Dlouha, Director of Czech MFA's Transformation Cooperation Unit (TRANS),and separately with representatives of TRANS's NGO partner, People in Need (PIN), including Igor Blazevic, Director; and Kristina Prunerova, Human Rights and Democracy Department and International Committee for Democracy in Cuba (ICDC) Secretary. -------------- - Czechs Seek a Tougher EU Common Policy on Cuba -------------- - ¶3. (C) Czech MFA officials are currently planning their strategy for negotiating a tougher EU common policy on Cuba in advance of the EU policy evaluation, to be completed in June 2006. According to Igor Blazevic, PIN Director, key players from the MFA and PIN will meet internally in February to finalize the strategy. (Comment: new MFA Director of the Americas, Jakub Skalnik, will likely inject fresh thinking into the discussions.) The MFA and PIN will then separately approach prospective partners for support, possibly including Germany, V-4 countries, and others. ¶4. (C) The Czechs recently explored ways to advance their goal to change EU policy through cooperation with the U.S. For example, the Czechs asked the USG to add Cuba to the list of priority countries for the U.S.-EU Democracy Initiative (ref C). They urged the USG to sponsor the 2006 UN Human Rights Resolution on Cuba. They support the "Cuba Freedom Fund" proposed by the Cuba Transition Coordinator, as a way of uniting EU member states on Cuba. And finally, the Czechs are planning a conference in Latin America (at an undetermined location) in October 2006, and as mentioned below, may seek U.S. involvement. -------------- Czech NGOs Actively Promote Democracy in Cuba -------------- ¶5. (U) In terms of direct assistance, PIN implements most of the GOCR's democracy promotion projects in Cuba. According to Blazevic, the Czech MFA's Transformation Cooperation Unit (TRANS) and the National Endowment for Democracy provide 60 percent of the funding for the projects. The rest is funded by other sources, including private Czech citizens. This year, PIN has budgeted roughly $500K for projects in Cuba. ¶6. (U) Current PIN projects, summarized below, focus on (a) promoting freedom of the press, (b) providing support for political prisoners, (c) providing capacity-building training for dissidents, and (d) raising awareness. -- (U) FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. PIN has organized five seminars that will take place in the Czech Republic in 2006 to provide training for approximately 60 independent Cuban journalists in 10 separate groups. The training will focus on journalism best practices and photography. Pin will also provide the journalists with hardware, technology, and supplies. As part of the training, the journalists will produce samizdat (dissident) magazines. -- (U) SUPPORT FOR POLITICAL PRISONERS. PIN is particularly proud of the fact that it has visited the families of all 75 political prisoners to show solidarity, and to bring news and supplies. PIN arranges medical assistance for the prisoners PRAGUE 00000066 002 OF 003 by enlisting the services of like-minded Cuban doctors, and by supplying medication for the prisoners. PIN provides financial support to political prisoners and their families. PIN has also successfully persuaded four Czech politicians to "adopt" a prisoner, in order to provide solidarity, financial support, and advice. The politicians have corresponded with the prisoners, and provided them money from their own pockets. This year, PIN will try to increase the involvement of Czech politicians, and invite EU politicians to participate as well. -- (U) CAPACITY BUILDING. The hallmark of Czech democracy promotion is capacity building. In addition to the journalism training described above, PIN provides training for Cuban dissidents in areas of key importance for a successful democratic transition (e.g., economics, self-governance, judicial reform, defense, social systems, police and military reform, restitution and privatization issues). Training takes place either in the U.S., such as at the Miami conference co-sponsored with the University of Miami in October 2005, or in the Czech Republic. Over the years, Prunerova estimates that PIN has provided training for hundreds of Cuban dissidents. -- (U) For use in this training, PIN recently published a book in Spanish that describes the Czech "lessons learned." PIN also hopes this book can be used in other countries, and is therefore seeking funds to translate the book into Arabic and English. The book has already been translated into Belarusan. -- (SBU) PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS. PIN arranges ongoing meetings between Czech and EU politicians and the Cuban democratic opposition to show solidarity, and raise awareness among European politicians. Several meetings are planned to take place this year, usually when politicians visit Cuba under the cover of tourist visas. Other PIN initiatives include: (1) in Fall 2005, PIN briefed regional government officials on Cuba in Estonia; (2) PIN continues to sponsor cultural events, such as panel discussions, and displays of photographs of the families of political prisoners; and (3) in 2005, PIN temporarily placed a symbolic jail cell in Wenceslas Square in Prague. Czech FM Cyril Svoboda and other well-known Czechs spent time in the cell to raise in-country awareness on the plight of Cuban political prisoners. ¶6. (U) PIN's public awareness campaigns are complimented by the activities of the International Committee for Democracy in Cuba (ICDC),founded by former Czech President Vaclav Havel. ICDC's primary mission is to gain support for Cuban democracy among politicians and NGOs throughout Europe and Latin America. The following are current ICDC initiatives to promote public awareness: -- Fall 2005, the ICDC sent a delegation to Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay to influence current and former Latin American leaders to oppose Castro (ref B). According to Blazevic, the delegation, headed by former Czech dissident Jan Ruml, had a good reception and will travel to Latin America again in 2006. -- February 6-7, 2006, the ICDC will host a conference on Cuba in Stockholm entitled, "Democratic Change: Who are the Actors?" MFA Dep FM Tomas Pojar will join members of the EU Parliament, representatives from foreign ministries of EU partner states, Cuban opposition representatives, and NGOs. These conference participants plan to discuss EU common policy on Cuba and ways to support the Cuban opposition. -- May 11-13, 2006, the ICDC will host a conference in Vienna for Latin American and EU youth groups, and NGOs. The conference will take place during the Latin American/EU Summit. -- October 2006, the ICDC will host a conference in Latin America to bring European and Latin American leaders together. Several American NGOS are partners in this project, including the Center for a Free Cuba in Washington, and the Cuban Democratic Directorate in Miami. The ICDC plans to maximize the impact of the conference by forming delegations composed of conference participants, and sending them throughout Latin America after the conference to discuss Cuba with Latin American leaders. (Note and comment: PIN may seek USG involvement in this conference. This could be an opportunity for joint cooperation, ranging from providing the assistance of the local U.S. Embassy, to providing speakers or delegation members, such as Former Secretary Albright, an ICDC member, PRAGUE 00000066 003 OF 003 or the Cuba Transition Coordinator.) ¶7. (U) For more information about TRANS, PIN, the ICDC, or Czech democracy promotion programs generally, see ref A. Details of current Czech projects in Eastern Europe, Iraq, and elsewhere will be provided septel. ¶8. (C) Comment. On the policy side, the Czechs are still learning the ropes on how to influence EU policy, but we are anticipating improved results this spring in the run-up to the EU policy evaluation, to be completed in June 2006. Our discussions with MFA and PIN officials suggest the Czechs remain highly committed to the cause -- with FM Cyril Svoboda being one of the most enthusiastic and committed proponents -- and are taking their time to get their strategy right. An injection of fresh thinking from new MFA Director of Americas, Jakub Skalnik, may help. Also, the current MFA leadership may view this as the best, and possibly last, chance to push through a tougher EU common policy during their watch, as some top officials may leave office following the June Czech parliamentary elections. Finally, the possibility of obtaining support from the new Merkel government in Germany or the new Polish government could also help turn the tide. The USG should continue to explore steps that will encourage the Czechs and pave the way for practical coordination among EU states to achieve a more effective common policy. ¶9. (S) The Czechs, government and NGOs alike, are justifiably proud of their work in support of the democratic opposition in Cuba. Czech achievements include: (1) influencing some EU states to invite members of the Cuban opposition groups to separate National Day celebrations, (2) elevating international appreciation of the plight of political prisoners and their families, (3) persuading European and Latin American leaders to join the ICDC, demonstrating their commitment to democracy in Cuba, (4) and training scores of journalists, and helping them smuggle their photographs and news out of Cuba via Czech NGOs and the Czech Embassy. Unfortunately, the real accomplishment of the Czechs -- providing hundreds of Cuban dissidents the expertise they will need to transform Cuba into a thriving democracy -- will not be fully measured until the Castro regime falls. CABANISS