CZECH REPUBLIC: REVIEW FOR WAIVER OF TITLE III OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAGUE 000762 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2018 TAGS: CU ETRD ETTC EZ PREF XG SUBJECT: CZECH REPUBLIC: REVIEW FOR WAIVER OF TITLE III OF THE LIBERTAD ACT REF: A. PRAGUE 320 ¶B. PRAGUE 125 ¶C. STATE 126578 Classified By: POLEC Counselor Charles O. Blaha for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) The Czech Republic has a strong record of active engagement and support for democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms in Cuba. Former Czech President Vaclav Havel established the Czech government's principled position on Cuba during his administration, following the Czech Republic's own transition from a totalitarian regime in 1989. All subsequent Czech political leaders have continued this policy of support for the peaceful democratic dissident movement in Cuba and have consistently called for the release of all political prisoners. The Czech Republic referred to last year's transfer of power between Fidel and Raul Castro as "just a formal confirmation of the status quo" in public statements (Ref B),while calling for Cuba to release all political prisoners, open dialogue with the opposition and hold a free election. The MFA Department for Human Rights and Transition Policy maintains Cuba as one of its "priority countries," and thus provides financial assistance to Czech NGOs, such as People in Need, which provides humanitarian aid, capacity training and other support for journalists, dissidents and their families. -------------- Czech Engagement within the EU -------------- 2.(C) Within the EU, the Czech Republic remains one of our strongest and most vocal allies on human rights issues, particularly with respect to Cuba. In the last year, the Czechs have hosted public events with dissidents from Burma, Belarus, Iran, Cuba and Turkmenistan. In addition to working-level meetings with MFA officials, Foreign Minister Schwarzenberg has also publicly met with Cuban dissidents. Since our last update, our Czech counterparts have continued to engage other EU member states to keep the pressure on the Cuban regime to implement reforms. As well, the Czech remain some of the strongest advocates for inviting Cuban dissidents to EU member state national day festivities. -------------- No Substantive Czech Trade or Investment -------------- ¶3. (U) The Czech Republic does not have any foreign investments in Cuba. As an EU member state, the GOCR does not have bilateral trade agreements with any country, including Cuba. There are no trade restriction, however, on private companies that want to do business there. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MPO),the Czech Republic exported USD 29.78 million worth of goods to Cuba in 2006, while importing goods from Cuba worth USD 4.37 million. Czech exports to Cuba dropped to USD 19.5 million in 2007, and imports of Cuban goods fell slightly to USD 4.11 million. For the first eleven months of 2008, exports were USD 18.84 million and imports USD 3.39 million. There are no student exchange programs. ¶4. (C) Comment: A waiver of the right to bring an action against entities and nationals of the Czech Republic is necessary to U.S. national interests. The Czech Republic has been at the forefront of efforts to force the Cuban regime to meet international standards of human rights. Our cooperation would definitely be negatively affected if the GOCR were to lose the Title III waiver, especially since it has been one of our best partners on Cuba and certainly the Czechs have one of the highest profiles within the EU on promotion of human rights issues around the world. The Czech Republic assumes the EU six-month rotating presidency on January 1, 2009, and we need to work closely with the Czechs to advance the cause of human rights in Cuba within the EU during that period. Graber