SCENESETTER FOR THE PRESIDENT'S VISIT TO PRAGUE.

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAGUE 000538 SIPDIS SIPDIS NSC FOR JUDITH AINSLEY AND ADAM STERLING E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/12/2017 TAGS: OVIP PREL EZ SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR THE PRESIDENT'S VISIT TO PRAGUE. JUNE 4-5, 2007 Classified By: Ambassador Richard W. Graber for reasons 1.4 b+d ¶1. (C) The President will be welcomed warmly in Prague, both at his bilateral events and for the conference on "Democracy and Security." President Klaus and the government are thrilled to have the opportunity to host the President again, after the November 2002 visit for the NATO Summit. Three themes are likely to dominate the President's private and public discussions: missile defense, U.S. visa policy, and Czech contributions to global democracy and the war on terror. The President's visit and his participation in a full bilateral program in addition to the conference will make a significant contribution to our objectives with the Czech Republic: encouraging continued active Czech engagement in support of a freer and safer world; setting the stage for approval of a missile defense agreement; and managing Czech expectations for visa waiver. -------------- Domestic context -------------- ¶2. (C) Nearly 18 years after the 1989 Velvet Revolution, the Czech Republic today is a prosperous market economy, a stable democracy, and a committed American ally. Accession to the European Union in 2004, like accession to NATO in 1999, has solidified and accelerated the transition away from the country's communist past. The economy today is very strong and one of Europe's fastest growing, with 6% GDP growth in the past two years, low inflation, and declining unemployment. U.S.-Czech economic ties are strong and overall very positive. Strong exports and continued healthy inflows of foreign investment drive the economy. The center-right government of Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek has an immediate challenge: introducing politically painful reforms in taxation, health care, and pensions in order to reduce the budget deficit and prepare the country for adoption of the euro, now forecast for 2012. Likewise the country needs to more aggressively confront the problem of corruption in the public sector. ¶3. (C) The current political situation is somewhat unsettled. National elections in June 2006 produced a deadlock with the 200-seat Chamber of Deputies split evenly between left and right. The country was without a confirmed government for seven month while the politicians sorted out a compromise; it is worth noting that the extended political uncertainty during this period had no direct impact on the economy, which continued to hum along as before. On January 19 this year, PM Topolanek won a vote of confidence with the help to two defectors from the opposition. Topolanek heads the center-right Civic Democrats (ODS),and governs together with the smaller Christian Democrats and the Czech Greens. However, the combination of the absence of a reliable majority in Parliament and internal conflicts among coalition partners -- particularly involving the Greens -- has led many to question the staying power of this government. There is frequent talk of a grand coalition emerging between ODS and the center-left Social Democrats (CSSD),the second largest party in Parliament. CSSD governed the country from 1998-2006, and its current chairman, Jiri Paroubek, was prime minister from 2005-06. Paroubek remains a key player, committed to good transatlantic relations but impatient to regain power by bringing down Paroubek. ¶4. (C) President Vaclav Klaus, in office since February 2003 and up for re-election early next year, is the most popular politician in the country. He is the founder and honorary chair of ODS. He does not have a good relationship with PM Topolanek. Klaus is a former economist and father of the economic reforms launched in the early 1990s. He has a very high opinion of his own intellect. Interestingly, Klaus is able to combine his intellectual air with an impressive common touch, largely by acting as a strong leader who rarely takes public stands on sensitive domestic issues. Klaus is a devoted libertarian with a passion for individual liberty and free markets. As such he is instinctively pro-American. While he does not hesitate to criticize USG policies with which he disagrees (most famously, Klaus was a critic the 2003 invasion of Iraq),he feels at home with Americans and travels there frequently to lecture. -------------- Czech-U.S. relations -------------- ¶5. (C) Our two countries enjoy excellent relations. We have worked very well with both of the main parties to pursue common goals. The Czechs are active in the war on terror, with 100 troops in Iraq, around 300 in Afghanistan, and over 500 in the Balkans. The Czechs intend to lead a PRT in Afghanistan starting in 2008, setting up the first PRT in Lowgar province. The country is active within NATO and the EU, and generally supportive of U.S. policy goals. This is particularly the case regarding democracy promotion. The Czechs are our strongest partners in Europe on Cuba, and active supporters of the democratic opposition in Cuba. Likewise in Belarus, Burma, Iraq and other countries in transition the Czech government and NGOs work to support peaceful transformation and pass along the lessons learned from the Czechs' own history. Prague has been home to the U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty since 1995, and has actively supported broadcasts to countries in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East. While much of the Czech support for democracy and freedom is rightfully associated with former President Vaclav Havel, in fact the Czech commitment to this agenda has continued after Havel left office. The Czech MFA has a special unit designed to promote transformational diplomacy in countries that are not yet fully free. It is no coincidence that Prague is the location for the conference on "Democracy and Security," sponsored by the Prague Security Studies Institute, a think tank founded by Havel, as well as foundations supported by former President Jose Maria Aznar and Natan Sharansky. -------------- Missile defense -------------- ¶6. (C) The USG has been discussing potential cooperation with the Czechs on our missile defense program since 2002. We told the Czechs on January 19 this year that we want to begin negotiations on a radar at a site they had offered on a military facility not far from Prague (and at the same time told the Poles we want to negotiate the placement of interceptor missiles in their country). The Czech government reaction was immediate and positive, with the newly confirmed Topolanek government calling a press conference on January 20 to announce the news and promising to work with us. We launched negotiations in May. The politics of MD in the Czech Republic are complicated: Topolanek's ODS strongly supports, as do the small Christian Democrats. The Green party is skeptical and is currently not considered fully reliable on the vote that will take place late this year on the negotiated agreement. The Social Democrats are divided, with many of the rank and file opposed, but Chairman Paroubek assuring us privately that his party may be able to provide some support in the end. (The remaining party in parliament, the Communists, is firmly opposed.) The President's meeting with Paroubek during this visit is very important as we seek to solidify his personal support for MD. ¶7. (C) President Klaus has stated on several occasions that he supports the negotiations moving forward, and in theory supports the radar deployment, but will reserve final judgment until all the details are negotiated. Klaus has not stated where he has reservations, and we expect that in the end he will support the facility. But hedging his bets until he can take the pulse of the electorate is a tactic that has made Klaus one of the country's most successful politicians. Based on Klaus's March meetings in Washington with Vice President Cheney and Secretary Gates, we can be sure Klaus will be engaged on this topic in his bilateral meetings. Klaus will also want to discuss the results of his consultations in Moscow in late April. ¶8. (C) Opinion polls show that the Czech public is divided on the radar, with over 60% opposing. Proponents highlight the benefits of a U.S. base on Czech soil as a catalyst for closer bilateral relations and, to a lesser extent, the need for the country to contribute to the defense of allies. Arguments against include a fear of increased terrorist attack, concern that a U.S. facility will somehow weaken NATO or the EU, and many questions about the impact that the radar facility would have on nearby residents. There is also some concern about the Russian reaction and the possibility that the U.S. MD facilities in Central Europe could spur a new arms race. The embassy, with strong support from the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, is engaged in an active effort to provide factual information and educate politicians and local residents. We, like the Topolanek government, are confident that the votes will be found to pass the eventual agreement we negotiate. Of particular importance to many politicians is defining a link between the proposed U.S. facility and NATO. The Czechs are also actively following the MD debate in the U.S. Congress, and are concerned that attempts to cut funding for the Polish part of the project could doom the Czech effort politically, since without the interceptors in Poland the radar will provide no defense for the Czech Republic or Europe. -------------- Visa waiver program reform -------------- ¶9. (C) Revising the U.S. visa waiver program (VWP) to facilitate the entry of allies like the Czech Republic -- strong partners in NATO and the war on terror, and EU members -- is very important to the Czechs. The Czechs warmly welcomed the President's announcement in Tallinn last November that he would work to change the VWP; Czech politicians and the press actively follow the progress of visa legislation in Congress. It is important during this visit to manage Czech expectations, stressing the President's personal commitment to change U.S. legislation, but making clear that the immigration issue is sensitive politically and therefore the final Congressional decision is impossible to predict. -------------- Boosting relations with a solid partner -------------- ¶10. (C) Prague is a fitting location for the President to deliver a major speech on democracy, and choosing the headquarters of Radio Free Europe as the venue for the speech adds to the symbolism. Beyond acknowledging Czech contributions to democracy and freedom around the globe, the President's visit to Prague and his bilateral meetings will be a boost to our relations with a small but reliable ally in Central Europe. The key themes for the President's public statements and private discussions are: recognizing the Czech contributions to global democracy, freedom and security; expressing appreciation for Czech willingness to contribute to the common defense by negotiating on the missile defense facility; and managing expectations on visa waiver. We look forward to welcoming the President in Prague. GRABER