CZECH RESPONSE ON OSCE DIALOGUE

UNCLAS PRAGUE 000488 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CE TRATENSEK E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EZ KDEM OSCE PGOV PHUM PREL SUBJECT: CZECH RESPONSE ON OSCE DIALOGUE REF: STATE 76294 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: On July 25, Emboffs delivered reftel demarche to Czech Director of Human Rights and Transition Policy, Gabriela Dlouha. Dlouha noted that the Czechs are prepared for and engaged in the upcoming OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM). Emboff also raised the reftel human rights concerns with respect to the Czech Republic,s Roma minority. MFA officials outlined several proactive changes the Czech government has adopted to address these concerns. End Summary. -------------- Czech Agenda for HDIM -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The GOCR,s agenda for the HDIM, including Czech priorities and concerns, will be completed by early to mid-September, and Dlouha offered to share it with the Embassy. Dlouha cited Czech concerns raised by several domestic and international NGOs regarding the existence of neo-Nazi hate speech on U.S.-based Internet domains and websites. Embassy will report on these concerns septel. According to Dlouha, the GOCR does not plan to raise this subject at the HDIM "at this time." -------------- Improvements made to the human rights of the Roma minority -------------- ¶3. (SBU) In response to the points on discrimination against the Roma community, Dlouha noted a number of actions the Czech government is taking to address these concerns. In January 2008, the GOCR established the Agency for Social Inclusion of Roma Communities, which will act as an umbrella for organizing social programs. The Agency, in cooperation with Czech NGOs, will focus its attention on reducing unemployment, improving the housing situation, and implementing preventative health measures for the Roma communities. The Agency will work to procure EU funds and encourage "networking" and partnership of local institutions. Through the Agency's efforts, GOCR will implement the Roma Integration Policy Concept, a policy document outlining concrete steps that will be taken to further integrate the Roma. A status report on the Agency's implementation efforts will be passed to Emboff in mid-September, prior to the HDIM. -------------- GOCR focus on Roma education -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Dlouha also addressed the November 2007 European Court of Human Rights ruling related to discrimination against Roma children in schools. She attributed the fact that Roma children often lag behind other students to the fact that most Roma are non-native Czech speakers. Therefore, GOCR will focus on enhancing preschool education for Roma children and on improving their Czech language skills. Dlouha passed Emboffs a full summary of Czech progress in this area, which the Embassy will email to the Department. Thompson-Jones