CZECH POLICY ON IRAN: PROLIFERATION ISSUES AND

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 PRAGUE 000746 SIPDIS NOFORN //ZFR ZFR ZFR// EUR/NCE FOR FICHTE, PM/RSAT FOR DOWLEY E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/29/2016 TAGS: PREL ETTC MNUC IAEA EZ IR SUBJECT: CZECH POLICY ON IRAN: PROLIFERATION ISSUES AND TRAVEL POLICY FOR SCIENTISTS PRAGUE 00000746 001.2 OF 002 -------------- -------------- THIS CABLE IS BEING RETRANSMITTED UNDER A NEW MRN -------------- -------------- PRAGUE 00000746 002 OF 002 very strictest that they employ anywhere in the world (REF A),some substantial weaknesses do exist. While Czech interview procedures and visa adjudication methodologies are extremely similar to ours, Czech consular officers and chiefs of mission have substantial discretion in their visa-issuing procedures and policies. The Czechs have no system analogous to CLASS and do not have biometric capabilities to verify the identity of the applicant. Although visa applicants are screened by security services against a database of names maintained by the Interior Ministry, the vetting system is essentially reactive and dependent upon an accurate self-identification by the applicant. According to MFA Consular Director Ivo Svoboda, moreover, there are no "suspect classes" of applicants whose occupation, specialty, or other background information would trigger a more detailed investigation or adjudication process (i.e. there is nothing comparable to the USG's SAO system). ¶8. (S/NF) In April 2006 an Iranian scientist specializing in nuclear medicine traveled to the Czech Republic to participate in a nuclear conference in the spa town of Marianske Lazne. According to media reports however, two of his colleagues were denied visas. Czech MFA officials, despite their stated policy of refusing to discuss particular visa cases, confirmed the substance of this report to Poloff and indicated that the MOI screening process had triggered the denial of the other two applications. Czech MFA officials also indicated that various security and intelligence services have in the past supported particular visa applications for the services, own operational purposes. In the aftermath of this controversial visit, the Czechs passed an informal request to the IAEA that they neither sponsor nor refer any Iranian nuclear scientists to the Czech Republic for seminars or training. According to Klucky (please protect),since Iran is not officially an IAEA-sanctioned state, these additional Czech measures are technically contrary to the letter of the NPT. CABANISS