VZCZCXRO7246
RR RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHPG #0057/01 0281729
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 281729Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY PRAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1064
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 0063
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 0048
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0722

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRAGUE 000057 
 
SIPDIS 
 
EUR/CE FOR ATRATENSEK, NEA/IPA FOR PKNOPF AND ALENTZ, 
EUR/ERA FOR JGIAUQUE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/28/2014 
TAGS: EG IR IS KPAL MARR MOPS PHSAQ PREL EZ XG
SUBJECT: CZECH COMMENTS ON GAZA AND ARMS INTERDICTION EFFORT 
 
REF: A. STATE 6469 
     ¶B. PRAGUE 38 
 
Classified By: POLEC Counselor Charles O. Blaha for reasons 1.4 (b) and 
 (d). 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Emboffs met with Czech MFA Middle East and 
North Africa Department Director Josef Rychtar on January 28. 
Noting that Palestinian President Abbas would be in Prague on 
February 2, he stated that getting things right on 
humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians would be a key 
element of Czech discussions with Abbas. He also noted that 
the Czechs are feeling some pressure from a small, but 
influential group of EU member states on possibly engaging 
Hamas.  On the need to end smuggling of explosives and 
weapons into Gaza and the USG proposal related to this, 
Rychtar responded positively.  With respect to upcoming 
conferences, he noted that things have not been moving as 
quickly or as smoothly on coordinating with the Egyptians or 
the French as the Czechs would like.  End Summary. 
 
---------- 
Abbas Visiting 
---------- 
¶2. (SBU) Rychtar commented that he has been preparing for the 
recently scheduled visit of Palestinian Authority President 
Mahmoud Abbas on Monday, February 2.  According to Rychtar, 
Abbas will meet with Czech President Klaus and it looks 
likely that he will be accompanied by permanent observer 
representative to the UN Riyad Mansour.  While there is not a 
formal request for Abbas to meet with head of government, PM 
Topolanek, nor FM Karel Schwarzenberg, the MFA expects such a 
request from the Palestinians and the GOCR is planning for 
it. Abbas will travel to the European Parliament on this trip 
as well. 
 
---------- 
Humanitarian Assistance - Getting it Right 
---------- 
¶3. (C) In response to our comments about European 
Commissioner Michel's announcement January 26 that the EU 
would provide 58M euros in humanitarian aid for Palestinians 
(32M euros for Gaza, 20M euros for the West Bank and 6M euros 
for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon), Rychtar noted that the 
Czechs participated in an assessment mission to Gaza before 
this announcement.  The officer, who previously served in 
Lebanon and saw the devastation in Southern Lebanon in 2006, 
indicated that the situation in Gaza was not of the same 
level.  Rychtar noted that the EU, and the rest of the 
international community, will need to be careful as to how 
the assistance is provided to ensure that Hamas does not 
benefit.  He noted that Iran and Qatar are providing funds 
directly to Hamas and he expressed concern that this would 
enhance Hamas' image in Gaza.  Rychtar commented that the EU 
provision of assistance will be a central element of the 
discussion with President Abbas.  He also noted that at the 
January 29-30 informal meeting of EU Development Ministers in 
Prague, humanitarian assistance to Gaza was just added as an 
agenda item for discussion; Czech FM Schwarzenberg will join 
for this segment. 
 
---------- 
Certain EU Member States - Pressing to Engage Hamas 
---------- 
¶4. (C) On a note related to assistance for Gaza, Rychtar 
stated that the Czechs are sensing increased pressure within 
the EU to support discussions with Hamas.  He said the 
pressure was coming principally from France, but also from 
Cyprus, Ireland, Greece and Sweden.  As an example, he cited 
the suggestions made by these countries during the prepatory 
negotiations on the wording of the GAERC Conclusion on the 
Middle East. The Czech Republic continues to resist such 
pressure, and he noted that this remains a minority view 
within the EU. 
 
---------- 
Czechs Support Combating Smuggling and the Proposed 
Interdiction Effort 
---------- 
¶5. (C) On January 26 Ref A was raised with MFA Deputy 
Director Josef Koutsky.  While Koutsky had no substantive 
comments at that time, on January 28 his boss, Josef Rychtar, 
posed a few questions related to smuggling via the Sinai, but 
considers this an excellent idea overall, if coordinated with 
the international community and done in accord with existing 
international maritime treaties.  Given the strategic 
location of Cyprus, he suggested that this idea should be 
 
PRAGUE 00000057  002 OF 002 
 
 
broached with them as well.  He acknowledged, however, the 
lack of a navy limits the Czech ability to play a role in 
this effort. With respect to the EU offer regarding the EU 
Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) in Rafah, he noted that the 
Egyptians have been opposed to this because all of the 
attention is being focused on their border with Gaza, rather 
than what the Egyptians claim are the more problematic 
routes, such as the sea. 
 
---------- 
Conferences - Moving Slowly 
---------- 
¶6. (C) In response to our inquiry about the proposed 
conference in Cairo, Rychtar noted that the date continues to 
slip.  While the Egyptians initially suggested February 15, 
this soon shifted to February 28.  Rychtar noted that just 
this morning the Egyptians called to inform him that they 
wish to move this conference to March 2.  The reasoning is 
the Egyptians apparently feel this would dovetail nicely with 
the scheduled meeting of the Arab League on March 3.  The 
Czechs noted the Egyptians are pressing to keep this event at 
the Foreign Ministerial level.  Rychtar also commented that 
contrary to the Czech preference, the Egyptians appear to be 
shifting the conference focus away from humanitarian 
assistance and toward a greater emphasis on political issues. 
 With respect to subsequent conferences, Rychtar stated it 
was his understanding that the Norwegians were looking to 
have the next Ad Hoc Liason Committee Meeting in the United 
States.  He also noted that the French have been pulling out 
the stops to host an event as well, and that they have not 
been very communicative with the Czechs as to what they are 
working on or with whom.  Rychtar expressed the consistent 
Czech interest in hosting a conference for Gaza in Prague. 
Thompson-Jones