CHARGE'S JULY 1 MEETING WITH CZECH FM KOHOUT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRAGUE 000383 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/01/2019 TAGS: PREL EZ SUBJECT: CHARGE'S JULY 1 MEETING WITH CZECH FM KOHOUT REF: STATE 66223 PRAGUE 00000383 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Mary Thompson-Jones, reasons 1.4 (b) a nd (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: In a July 1 meeting, Charge congratulated Czech FM Kohout on the just-completed Czech EU presidency and thanked him for Czech support in various areas, including for the Holocaust Assets Conference. Kohout thought the presidency had made the Czech Republic more "EU-involved" and more capable in EU affairs. Kohout said he was seeking a post U.S.-Russia Summit meeting with the Secretary in order to get a Summit readout but appeared open to getting a readout through other channels. End Summary. Evaluating the Czech EU Presidency -------------- ¶2. (C) Charge congratulated FM Kohout on a successful EU presidency which had resulted in progress in many areas, including energy security, agricultural trade and transatlantic relations. Charge presented Kohout reftel letter of thanks from the Secretary for the Czech EU presidency's efforts on Guantanamo. Charge thanked the FM for Czech support for the just-completed Holocaust Assets Conference and for Czech leadership in getting more EU assistance for IDPs in Pakistan. She also expressed condolences for the loss of life and property damage from recent flooding in the Czech Republic. ¶3. (C) Kohout noted that the Czech presidency had also successfully opened relations between the EU and the new U.S. administration. He called the Holocaust conference important in a time of rising intolerance. According to Kohout, the presidency had made the Czech Republic more "EU-involved": Kohout cited the Czech Senate's passage of the Lisbon Treaty as the most important sign of Czech willingness to be more involved in the EU. Many misunderstandings about the EU that existed before the presidency had disappeared, he said. ¶4. (C) In addition, Kohout said that as a result of the presidency, the Czech government now better understands the role small members states can play. The presidency, he said, brought the Czech government expertise and a pool of people experienced in EU affairs. Post-Presidency -------------- ¶5. (C) Kohout said that, unlike France at the beginning of the Czech presidency, the Czechs were being careful not to "interfere" in the Swedish presidency. However, he said the Czech Republic would continue to press forward on transatlantic relations, the Balkans, and EU enlargement. The Czechs will also continue to be involved in Eastern Partnership-related issues and projects, and with Nabucco and energy diversification. ¶6. (C) On Iran, Kohout said the "mini-GAERC" at Corfu had developed a menu of diplomatic options that was now in the hands of the Swedes. Recalling ambassadors was not currently on the table, he added. Bilateral Relations -------------- ¶7. (C) Charge noted that this was a time of transition for both countries, and that we should work together to broaden bilateral relations beyond just missile defense. She asked about a possible Kohout trip to Washington later in July; MFA Americas Department Director Katerina Fialkova said the Czechs had been told the Secretary was not available. Kohout said he would be seeking a readout of the July 6 U.S.-Russia Summit. Charge suggested that perhaps such a readout would be available through other channels. ¶8. (C) Kohout appeared open to this, but asked that it be directly with him, and that it include an assessment of how Summit outcomes would affect U.S.-Czech relations. He expressed support for the idea of broadening relations. ¶9. (C) Charge raised intellectual property rights and the Czech Republic's position on the Special 301 watch list due to the sale of pirated goods in Czech border markets. The USG hoped that the Czech Republic would make sufficient progress to be removed from the watch list, but industry was concerned there had not been enough progress to warrant this. Kohout was not familiar with the issue but said he would raise it with other ministries. Charge also raised the interest by Westinghouse in the upcoming tender by the semi-state electricity company CEZ to build two new nuclear power stations at the Temelin nuclear power plant, with options to build additional units at Dukovany and in PRAGUE 00000383 002.2 OF 002 Slovakia. Kohout also appeared unfamiliar with this issue. Thompson-Jones