CZECHS HESITANT TO LEND NAME TO PARTNERSHIP FOR

UNCLAS PRAGUE 001088 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS S/P FOR DAVID SOKOLSKY, G FOR JOAQUIN FERRAO, DRL/MLGA FOR GIANNI PAZ, EUR/NCE FOR ALEX TRATENSEK E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL EAID KDEM EZ SUBJECT: CZECHS HESITANT TO LEND NAME TO PARTNERSHIP FOR DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE REF: A. SECSTATE 115400 ¶B. PRAGUE 930 ¶C. STATE 108794 (SBU) The Czechs have decided that they do not have the resources to actively support the Partnership for Democratic Governance (PDG) and therefore will not, at this time, become a founding member or join the steering group. Gabriela Dlouha, Director of the Czech MFA's Human Rights and Transition Policy Department, told poloff on September 19 that the GOCR has examined the draft principles and has no problems in this regard. However, as a point of principle, the Czechs do not want to join an organization if they are not able to take an active role in it. Thus, while they will support the work of the PDG -- and Foreign Minister Schwarzenberg will attend the Community of Democracy meeting on the margin of the UNGA where the PDG will be discussed -- they will not become formal members or otherwise lend their name to the PDG at present. Dlouha said they would leave the door open to perhaps taking a more active role in the future. GRABER