CZECH REPUBLIC: REPLY TO DEMARCHE ON NATO MISSION

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAGUE 000166 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/RPM E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/25/2019 TAGS: EZ PREL MARR NATO KPKO KV SUBJECT: CZECH REPUBLIC: REPLY TO DEMARCHE ON NATO MISSION IN KOSOVO REF: A. SECSTATE 26179 ¶B. PRAGUE 165 Classified By: Deputy Political/Economic Counselor Martina A. Strong fo r reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 1.(C) Embassy Officer delivered the reftel a demarche to Veronika Kuchynova-Smigolova, the Czech MFA's Director of Security Policy, and her deputy, Petr Chalupecky on March 25. They appreciated receiving our points, agreed with our position and said that the Czech Republic is fully committed to NATO's mission in Kosovo. 2.(C) Army Attache also delivered the reftel points to Simona Altschulova, the Chief of the International RELATIONS Branch in the MOD,s Policy and Strategy Division on March 25. Altschulova acknowledged the importance of NATO's ongoing efforts in Kosovo and indicated the current Czech Government,s intention to continue supporting the KFOR mission. 3.(C) Altschulova and Kuchynova-Smigolova both noted that the Government losing the March 24 vote of confidence in the Czech Parliament (reftel b) could impact future Czech foreign deployment plans. Thompson-Jones