Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09PRAGUE542
2009-09-11 15:12:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Prague
Cable title:  

SCENESETTER FOR CZECH DEFENSE MINISTER BARTAK,S

Tags:  PGOV PREL MARR MOPS EZ 
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DE RUEHPG #0542/01 2541512
ZNY CCCCC ZZH (CCY ADAF7F85 MSI8396-695)
O 111512Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY PRAGUE
TO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1743
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAGUE 000542 

NOFORN
SIPDIS
C O R R E C T E D COPY CAPTION
EUR/CE: JBERGEMANN; NSC: JHOVENIER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR MOPS EZ
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR CZECH DEFENSE MINISTER BARTAK,S
VISIT TO THE U.S.

Classified By: Political/Economic Counselor Charles O. Blaha, reasons 1
.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAGUE 000542

NOFORN
SIPDIS
C O R R E C T E D COPY CAPTION
EUR/CE: JBERGEMANN; NSC: JHOVENIER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR MOPS EZ
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR CZECH DEFENSE MINISTER BARTAK,S
VISIT TO THE U.S.

Classified By: Political/Economic Counselor Charles O. Blaha, reasons 1
.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: As the 20th anniversary of the 1989 "Velvet
Revolution" approaches, the Czech Republic today boasts a
relatively strong market economy, a lively democratic
tradition, and close links with the United States. The Czech
Republic has been a member of NATO since 1999 and the
European Union since 2004. The country has been a steady
supporter of U.S. and coalition missions, with troops in
Afghanistan and Kosovo; the Czechs launched a provincial
reconstruction team (PRT) in Afghanistan in March 2008 and
also deployed a Special Forces unit to Afghanistan. The
Czech Republic has been a strong supporter of democratic
transformation in countries like Cuba and Belarus. A major
success in the bilateral relationship was the Czech accession
to the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) in November 2008. In the
first half of 2009 the Czechs held the EU Presidency and
focused on enhancing the EU's energy security, increasing
Europe's economic competitiveness, and strengthening the
EU,s relations with third countries, such as the U.S. The
Czech government is currently in transition. Prime Minister
Mirek Topolanek's government lost a vote of no confidence in
March and transferred power to an interim government in May.
On September 10, the Constitutional Court invalidated a law
setting early parliamentary elections on October 9-10.
Parliament is currently considering a constitutional
amendment that would allow for early elections as soon as
November 6-7. END SUMMARY.

--------------
A Valued Ally With Domestic Challenges
--------------


2. (C) President Vaclav Klaus tasked then-Czech Statistical
Office Director Jan Fischer with forming a non-partisan,
"interim" technocratic government after the fragile
three-party coalition government of Prime Minister Mirek
Topolanek fell on March 24, 2009. The effort to unseat PM
Topolanek during the country's EU Presidency and a

significant economic downturn illustrates the Czech
Republic,s raucous domestic politics, in which matters of
domestic and sometimes foreign policy are used to settle
political scores to the detriment of the Czech Republic's
international standing and national interest. The
largely-technocratic, "interim" government of Jan Fischer
assumed power on May 8 and will govern until early elections
take place, most probably in early November 2009. Lacking
any political mandate, PM Fischer's interim government has
focused primarily on an economic recovery program.


3. (SBU) Despite these domestic political challenges, our
bilateral relations are excellent, with the Czech Republic's
November 2008 entry into the Visa Waiver Program having
removed the one long-standing bilateral irritant. The
country has been a steady supporter of U.S. and NATO military
operations and maintains approximately 1000 troops on foreign
missions. In Afghanistan, the Czechs have about 500 military
and civilian officials. In 2008, they launched a provincial
reconstruction team (PRT),deployed a Special Forces unit,
and sent experts to an Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team
(OMLT) in Afghanistan. Over the past several years, they
have also maintained an infantry battalion of 450-550 troops
in Kosovo. As a result of a domestic political standoff in
December 2008 between then-PM Topolanek and opposition Social
Democratic (CSSD) leader Jiri Paroubek, Topolanek's
government had difficulty passing the 2009 foreign troop
deployments bill. The bill eventually passed, but it came
down to the wire and ugly internal politics crept into the
debate. However, Czech troop deployment levels for 2010
passed with little contention or fanfare in June 2009. The
Czechs have slightly shifted their focus from offensive
assets to capabilities that help the Afghans train their own
forces and increase the capacity of local institutions.


4. (SBU) Following several years of strong economic
performance, the small, open, export-oriented Czech economy
is now struggling with the effects of the global economic
downturn. The Czech Republic exports over 80 percent of its
products to fellow EU countries and over 30 percent to
Germany alone. As Germany and Western Europe fell into a
sharp recession, demand for Czech exports plummeted.
Although there are some signs that the worst of the economic
crisis may now be over, the economy is expected to contract
by roughly four percent in 2009. Unemployment has climbed to
8.5 percent. Nevertheless, the Czech financial system has
remained relatively healthy, and the Czech Republic is one of


only four OECD countries not to have had to recapitalize its
banks. The government has put forward an economic recovery
program, costing almost 2 percent of GDP, designed to
maintain employment and exports. Fearing the consequences to
their economy should international investors put them in the
same category as some of their more economically-challenged
neighbors, the Czechs have opposed any initiatives that treat
Central and Eastern Europe as a unified region.

--------------
Czech EU Presidency
--------------


5. (C) The Czechs, who joined the EU in May 2004, assumed
the rotating six-month presidency from the French on January
1, 2009 and handed over to the Swedes on July 1, 2009. This
was the first time the Czech Republic held the EU presidency,
and only the second time for one of the 12 newest EU member
states. (Slovenia was the first, in January 2007.) In
consultation with their EU partners, the Czechs focused on
three top priorities under their overarching theme of "Europe
Without Borders." These were: EU economic competitiveness,
energy security, and external relations. Within external
relations, the Czechs focused on the Western Balkans,
transatlantic relations, and the Eastern Partnership. These
priorities, along with the global financial crisis and the
January Russian-Ukraine gas crisis, kept the Czechs extremely
busy.


6. (C) On April 5 the Czechs organized the widely applauded
U.S.-EU Summit and Foreign Ministerial with President Obama,
Secretary Clinton and all EU leaders and foreign ministers.
The discussions at these two events dovetailed well with USG
priorities. U.S. and EU leaders discussed the economic and
financial situation, energy and climate change, and the
"Space between the Mediterranean and Caspian Sea." At the
same time, Secretary Clinton and the foreign ministers
discussed Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans,
Afghanistan/Pakistan and the Middle East. Some key current
and former Central European leaders, however, would like to
see more engagement by the USG with Central Europe and
expressed their concerns in July with a widely circulated
Open Letter to President Obama. Missile Defense (see
paragraph eight) and the ongoing USG security policy review
were also referenced as bellwethers of the USG relationship
with Central Europe.


7. (C) During their EU Presidency, the Czechs steadily
pressed their EU partners to advance coordination and
contributions for Afghanistan, particularly in the civilian
sphere. At the EU-Afghanistan Ministerial in January 2009,
the EU reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to Afghanistan
reconstruction (from 2002-2006 the EU contributed over 1.3B
Euros to this effort and for 2007-2010 it has pledged 610M
Euros). Even after the Presidency, the Czechs continue to
press within internal EU discussions for the EU to help
address security weakness before the next round of Afghan
presidential elections. The Czechs also pay attention to the
fragile situation in Pakistan and support upgrading EU
relations with Pakistan. (Note: Logar province where the
Czech PRT is based, is relatively close to the Pakistan
border. End Note.) The first EU-Pakistan summit took place
during the Czech Presidency in June 2009 and the European
Commission allocated some 200M Euros from 2010-2013 for rural
development and education projects in Pakistan.

-------------- ---
Missile Defense - Bartak's Likely First Question
-------------- ---


8. (C) Given the importance the Czechs assign to their
relationship with the United States, former PM Topolanek and
his government viewed missile defense (MD) as a natural next
step in the security partnership between our two countries.
Since the United States officially presented the MD proposal
to the Czech Republic in January 2007, the Czech government
has been unwavering in its support, despite significant
public opposition driven largely by the Czech historical
experience and concerns about foreign troop presence on Czech
territory. Russian threats and intransigence with regard to
MD in many ways reinforced the Czech government's
determination to proceed with the project. The Czech
government moved quickly to negotiate and sign the Ballistic
Missile Defense Agreement and the Status of Forces Agreement.
The Czech Senate ratified the agreements in November 2008.
Ratification of the two agreements in the lower chamber,
which looked to be hanging on a razor-thin margin, was

suspended due to the domestic political turmoil and to
outstanding questions about the new U.S. administration,s
plans. The Czechs have always considered close consultations
with the United States to be critical, and Bartak will surely
inquire as to where things stand with the missile defense
policy review. Supporters of the radar site, including
Bartak, have consistently asked that the U.S. not announce
the results of our missile defense review until after the
Czech parliamentary elections -- now likely to be held in
early November -- so as to prevent missile defense from
becoming a significant issue in the campaign.

--------------
Czech Armed Forces
--------------


9. (C/NF) The Czech Armed forces are struggling to
concurrently complete their defense reform plan (initiated in
2002) and to support deployed operations. The situation is
complicated by a polarized and charged domestic political
environment, reduced funding, and a lack of transparency in
the procurement process. The Army of the Czech Republic
(ACR) has met its broad end-strength reform goals: an all
volunteer force of 35,000 military and civilians; two
maneuver brigades; 24 subsonic fighter-bombers
(Czech-produced L-159 Advanced Light Attack Aircraft or
ALCA); 14 supersonic fighters (JAS-39 Gripens); one brigade
each for artillery, air defense, NBC defense and engineers;
and a Special Forces Group. The ACR also has met its
deployment capabilities goal - maintaining approximately
1,000 deployed troops in operations. However, the
achievement of full operational capability of two brigade
size task forces has been put off until 2013. The current
CHOD, LTG Vlastimil Picek, appears committed to further
reductions in civilian staffs and support units and a shift
in billets to the units providing the deployable force pool.
The current CHOD also formed two new deployable ground
battalions out of existing force structure, through the
elimination/restructuring of rescue (homeland emergency
services) battalions. There are some indications that units
providing troops for deployed operations are stressed. The
ACR did not meet its recruitment goals for 2008, for the
first time, and the defense budget is now facing a ten
percent cut as a result of the financial crisis that will
take defense spending down below 1.2 percent of GDP.

--------------
Recent Afghanistan Deployment History
--------------


10. (SBU) Under former Prime Minister Topolanek's Government
(which lasted just over two years),Czech contributions to
Afghanistan more than doubled (from 225 in 2007 to over 500
in 2008/09),and the types of missions the Czechs accepted
became much more aggressive. Czechs moved from providing
security to the German PRT in Feyzabad to leading their own
PRT in Logar; they deployed a security unit in support of the
Dutch PRT in Uruzgan, an OMLT to train ANAAC pilots at KAIA
and a large SOF contingent under OEF to KAF and FOB ANACONDA.
Czech troops are not constrained by national caveats.
Through it all, the Czechs have forged close working
relationships with RC-E, CSTC-A (especially CAPTF),and
SOCCENT. The efforts of RC-E (CJTF101) have been
particularly effective in guiding Czech deployment plans and
shaping the successful efforts of the PRT in Logar as well as
the new Czech helicopter detachment as it prepares for
deployment to FOB SHARANA.


11. (SBU) The flagship of Czech involvement in Afghanistan
is the Czech PRT in Logar. Based at FOB Shank in Pole-Alam,
the total strength of the Czech PRT was increased in early
2009 from about 210 to 275 and now includes four infantry
platoons. The infantry platoons are used in close
coordination with TF SPARTAN to provide security for PRT
activities, as well as to conduct framework and stability
operations. The Czech PRT began operations in March 2008, a
period that coincided with a deteriorating security situation
in the province (Czechs suffered a KIA in the first months of
operation). Yet despite the security challenges, the Czech
PRT got off to a fast start and generally received high marks
for its approach to reconstruction and partnerships with
local government and tribal leaders. The Czech PRT is TACON
to RC-E. At the heart of the Czech PRT is its team of
civilian experts (eight to ten persons strong) that possess
specific skills relevant to Logar Province (agriculture,
aquifer management, public health, education, etc). Many of
the Czech civilian experts were hand-selected from the


substantial Czech NGO community and several have extensive
previous experience in Afghanistan (as well as Iran, Iraq,
and Africa).


12. (SBU) In addition to the Czech PRT, the Czechs have also
deployed a rotating 100-man SOF contingent under OEF for a
period of 18 months (this deployment finishes at the end of
2009). This marks the third time the Czech SOF has deployed
under OEF (previously in 2004 and 2006) and it has steadily
developed into a capable force that easily operates alongside
U.S. partners.


13. (SBU) As already mentioned, the Czechs provide a small
OMLT to mentor ANAAC pilots and maintenance personnel (mostly
Mi-24 staff),in close cooperation with CAPTF. This
complements the Czech donation of 12 Mil helicopters (six
Mi-24 and six Mi-17) that serve as the backbone of the ANAAC
helicopter fleet. The donation was made following extensive
factory overhauls that were largely U.S.-funded and were
performed by a Czech MoD-affiliated helicopter maintenance
depot located near Prague (approximately a USD30m contract).
This same Czech MoD facility is currently performing similar
overhauls of three Pakistani Mi-17s under a CENTCOM-funded
program. The Czech MoD has indicated that it may consider a
further donation of two more Mi-17 helicopters.

--------------
Other Czech Deployments
--------------


14. (SBU) The Czechs are also involved in KFOR. The Czechs'
longstanding commitment to KFOR remains strong (many Czechs
view KFOR as the most important foreign deployment and indeed
the Czech parliament authorized more troops for KFOR than
ISAF in 2010) and the Czech Armed Forces maintain a
battalion-sized unit of between 450-550 in KFOR NMTF-C.


15. (C) Although the Czech 2010 foreign troop deployments
bill passed with little fanfare in mid-June, Czech public
support for foreign deployments has slipped. The 2010 bill
authorized the deployment of 535 soldiers in Afghanistan in
2010, to allow for the continuation of the Czech efforts in
Afghanistan. It also authorized 550 personnel for KFOR and
minor deployments to include: 2 troops in Bosnia (EU
Operation); 5 troops in Chad and the Central African Republic
(UN-MINURCAT); 3 troops in Sinai (MFO); 3 troops in Britain
(EU NAVFOR ATALANTA); 220 troops in the first-half of 2010
and then 360 troops in the second-half of 2010 in NATO
missions (NATO Response Force).

--------------
U.S. Assistance for Afghanistan Deployments
--------------


16. (SBU) The U.S. has provided extensive pre-deployment
training support to Czech forces in Afghanistan. Such
training includes Czech participation in Mission Readiness
Exercises (MREs) conducted at the Joint Multinational
Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany. The Czechs also
regularly conduct HMMWV operators training and combat life
savers training at Grafenwoehr. U.S. SOF has conducted
several Joint Combined Environment Training (JCET) exercises
with Czech forces, and in May several Czech Mi-17 crews
conducted live environment training at Fort Bliss, Texas.
This training is on top of an IMET program that in 2008
totaled $1.6m.


17. (SBU) The U.S. has provided a great deal of direct
material and funding support including 26 M1114 HWWMVs, IED
countermeasures, and tactical radios. The Czechs are also
large recipients of lift and sustain funding, partly as a
result of an OSD agreement to provide funding as a
demonstration of support to the Topolanek Government, in
light of its support of U.S. missile defense policy.
Additionally, the Czechs received $2.84m of FMF in 2008.
Both IMET and FMF budgets have recently trended downward.
(The helicopter flight training at Fort Bliss was an
exception to this trend as it was funded by a $2.8m plus up
in 2008 FMF funding).

--------------
DefMin Bartak
--------------


18. (C/NF) Bartak has been an active supporter of U.S.
policies and initiatives. Bartak was close to former
right-of-center Prime Minister Topolanek. Bartak has been an

active supporter of both missile defense and foreign
deployments. Bartak speaks fluent English and many find him
to have a charismatic personality. However, he often and
rather unpredictably raises issues of a tactical nature with
senior U.S. visitors. Under Bartak, Czech defense
procurement has continued to be dogged by lack of
transparency and allegations of corruption, though we are not
aware of any substantiation for allegations against Bartak
personally.

--------------
A Strong and Reliable Partnership
--------------


19. (SBU) Despite its small size and at times unsettled
political scene, the Czech Republic has consistently proven
to be a reliable and active ally of the United States. With
a total deployable strength of only about 13,000 personnel,
the Czech Armed Forces have made a significant contribution
in support of coalition operations. The Czechs are
appreciative of the positive role the United States has
played at key moments of their history. They are, in turn,
proud of their own contributions to security, democracy, and
freedom around the globe since 1989.
Thompson-Jones