CZECHS REQUEST VISIT OF U.S. MISSILE DEFENSE SITE

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAGUE 000757

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
NOFORN

EUR/NCE FOR FICHTE, PM/RSAT FOR DOWLEY, OSD/ISP FOR SADOWSKA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/04/2016
TAGS: MARR PREL EZ
SUBJECT: CZECHS REQUEST VISIT OF U.S. MISSILE DEFENSE SITE
SURVEY TEAM

REF: A. PRAGUE 636

B. 6/29 SADOWSKA - MORGESE/GREANEY E-MAIL

Classified By: Acting Political-Economic Counselor Brian Greaney
for reasons 1.4 b+d.


1. (U) Action request in para 9.


2. (C/NF) Summary: Czech officials have extended an
invitation, effective immediately, for the U.S. to begin
surveying potential missile defense (MD) sites within the
Czech Republic. They are grateful for U.S. patience in
delaying the arrival of the survey team from its original
date of June 19. National political debate on the issue has
now reached a new state of maturity, with both pros and
cons being debated in the press by politicians. Political
insiders believe that the question of the Czech Republic
hosting a MD site would be decided by the Parliament,
without recourse to a referendum. The Czech Defense
Minister would like to announce the site surveys to the
Czech press during the week July 10, and requested that the
United States refrain from public comment on the surveys
until that time. Post requests a response to the Czech
invitation. End summary.


3. (C/NF) Defense Minister Karel Kuehnl met with the
Ambassador on the evening of July 03 to discuss next steps
on Missile Defense. He acknowledged that further delays in
surveying the Czech candidate MD sites might endanger the
Czechs' chances to host an MD base. Kuehnl, a supporter of
the Czech Republic's candidacy, asked the Ambassador to
extend an invitation to the U.S. survey team. He hoped that
the team would be able to arrive before the end of July.


4. (C/NF) DATT and Acting Polec Counselor met July 4 with
Deputy Minister of Defense Martin Belcik, MFA Political
Director Martin Povejsil, and MOD Defense Policy Director
Radomir Jahoda for further discussion of the Czech
invitation. Both Belcik and Povejsil said the temporary
delay in the arrival of the U.S. site survey team had
allowed the national political debate on MD to mature
naturally. They were encouraged by politicians' recent
willingness to discuss the merits of the project rather
than try to stovepipe public support in one direction or
another. They hoped that the level of Czech cooperation to
come would help them make up for lost time, and would
ensure Czech competitiveness to host an MD site.


5. (C/NF) DATT extended an invitation on behalf of DASD
Brian Green for a working-level Czech delegation to come to
Washington DC to learn more about the MD concept, how it
fits into the larger MD structure and its ramifications for
the Czech Republic (Ref B). BelcikQs initial reaction was
that this should be put off until September, but he said he
would consider the offer with the appropriate
decision-makers. Povejsil seemed more interested (Note:
our impression is that both MOD and MFA would like to get
arrangement for the site survey visit over with first
before thinking about other meetings. End note).


6. (C/NF) Belcik said the MOD would provide its full
logistical support to the surveys. He noted that, even
during the recent delay, the Ministry had been working
quietly on the issue. Belcik presented Emboffs with a
package of technical data to answer many of the questions
posed by the Missile Defense Agency in pre-survey
negotiations. (Note: The MOD's Defense Policy Department
hopes to provide the answers to all remaining questions
before the arrival of the survey team). Jahoda suggested
that we use the same schedule for the survey team as had
originally been proposed for the visit that was to begin
June 19.


7. (C/NF) In response to Emboffs' question on certain
politicians' calls for a referendum on MD, Povejsil said
talk of such a referendum had merely been a political
tactic as part of ongoing negotiations in forming a new
government. He commented on the difficulty of arranging a
referendum under a Constitution that did not authorize such
a procedure, noting that all politicians were equally aware
of the difficulties such a path would entail. Povejsil said
that while the parties might conduct internal polls of
their own elected representatives, the eventual decision
would fall to the Parliament and not the people. Povejsil
said he was encouraged by the level of public statements of
support for MD by many political leaders.


8. (C/NF) Povejsil commented that some recent press

reporting on MD tended to portray the issue as a choice for
the Czech people between support for a U.S. system or for a
NATO system. He asked that U.S. officials, if speaking on
the issue, clarify to reporters that support for the U.S.
project was not something that would undermine NATO's
efforts.


9. (C/NF) Comment and action request: This invitation to
the U.S. site survey team is an encouraging step. Even
though Czech leaders are engaged in the delicate dance of
forming a new coalition government, they have also begun to
conduct a public discussion on the way forward for Czech
participation in missile defense. While eventual support is
by no means guaranteed, recent interviews and op-eds
demonstrate that several prominent politicians are willing
to take a public stand in favor MD. Their opponents are
divided. Some of the opposition to MD has little to do with
MD itself, and is focused on the rights of citizens to have
their views represented on such issues. Such a criticism
will become less effective as the current political debate
continues. Post requests a response to the Czech
invitation. End comment and action request.

HOHE