U.S. AND RUSSIANS JOINTLY DEMARCHE CZECH REPUBLIC

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAGUE 000289

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

EUR/NCE FOR FICHTE, ISN/WMDT, T:TIM KATSAPIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2016
TAGS: PTER KNNP MCAP PINR PREL PINS PARM PGOV EZ RU
SUBJECT: U.S. AND RUSSIANS JOINTLY DEMARCHE CZECH REPUBLIC
ON GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO COMBAT NUCLEAR TERRORISM

REF: A. STATE 21535

B. STATE 26678

Classified By: DCM Cameron Munter
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) On March 16, DCM and Russian DCM Oleg Lushnikov
presented the points outlined in reftel to Jan Kara, director
of the United Nations Department of the Czech Ministry of
Foreign Affairs. Kara was very receptive to the message, and
responded that he was "nearly 100 percent sure" the Czechs
would agree to respond in writing to the Americans and the
Russians in support of the initiative. Kara promised to
circulate our information (provided in English and Russian,
he noted) within the ministry, and said he believe that
within a week or two we would get an answer.


2. (C) Kara had only two questions: he asked whether, by
writing in support of the initiative, the Czechs would become
"members" of the initiative and if so, what precisely
membership entailed (other than participation in the next
meeting of the initiative in Kazakhstan this summer); and
whether the United States and Russia had approached the EU on
this initiative as they had to constituent members of the EU.
The mood of the meeting was friendly, and the Russian DCM
seemed pleased to be taking part in such a joint demarche
(which he referred to as "historic"). (Note: The Embassy is
providing details of the Global Conference (Ref B) to Kara,
as well as a copy of the February 12 Joint Statement of the
Co-Chairmen. End note)


3. (U) ACTION REQUEST: Post requests guidance on the two
questions asked by Kara in paragraph 2 above.
GRABER