CZECH REPUBLIC: POSITIVE SIGNALS ON MI-17S FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAGUE 000316 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/P AND EUR/CE E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2019 TAGS: PREL SMIG PARM PK EZ SUBJECT: CZECH REPUBLIC: POSITIVE SIGNALS ON MI-17S FOR PAKISTAN REF: STATE 55654 Classified By: Acting Political/Economic Counselor Scott Riedmann for r easons 1.4 (b) and (d). 1.(C) Political-Military Officer delivered the reftel points on June 1 to Veronika Kuchynova-Smigolova, the Czech MFA's Director of Security Policy, and her deputy, Petr Chalupecky. Chalupecky and Kuchynova-Smigolova both expressed support for supplying MI-17s to Pakistan, but could not provide any details on the Czech's current inventory. They did share their personnel concern that the Czechs are already donating helicopters to Afghanistan and there may be limited refurbishment capacity for any possible transfer to Pakistan. 2.(C) Embassy Army Attache delivered the same reftel points to Simona Altschulova, the MOD's Director of International Relations, on June 1. During a follow-up meeting on June 3, Altschulova said that the Czechs were supportive and had some possible helicopters in their inventory. However, she said that they needed more details on timing, transfer mechanisms, and funding. The Embassy's Army Attache promised to get back to her with the required information as soon as possible. ¶3. Embassy requests further guidance on the next steps. Thompson-Jones