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Viewing cable 07PRAGUE557, CZECH CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE BALKANS

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07PRAGUE557 2007-05-17 09:19 2011-08-30 01:44 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Prague
VZCZCXRO8163
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHPG #0557/01 1370919
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 170919Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY PRAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9069
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0225
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1867
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PRAGUE 000557 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL EAID MASS XH BK MW YI EZ
SUBJECT: CZECH CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE BALKANS 
 
REF: A. PRAGUE 01543 
     B. 05 PRAGUE 00058 
 
1. Summary. This is the second in a series of cables 
summarizing significant Czech contributions in Iraq, 
Afghanistan, and the Balkans. The Czech Republic strongly 
supports U.S. policy in the Balkans, and views the region as 
the country's highest security priority. Thus, in recent 
years the Czechs have made substantial contributions in the 
areas of military and security, development assistance, and 
humanitarian aid. Currently, 450 Czech soldiers serve in the 
KFOR mission in Kosovo. An additional 55 troops serve as 
peacekeepers in Bosnia. Overall, the Czech Republic has spent 
(or is planning to spend) an estimated $345 million to 
benefit the people of Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Bosnia 
since 1999. The Czech Republic has spent nearly $200 million 
on military and security contributions since 1999. Other 
Czech contributions include: (1) $36 million in development 
assistance since 2000 (and plans to spend nearly $15 million 
in 2007-2008); (2) $95 million to the Stability Pact fund for 
the Balkans; (3) $500,000 on programs to promote democracy in 
the region; and (4) humanitarian assistance focused primarily 
on education and healthcare. (Ref A summarizes Czech 
contributions to Iraq. Septel will summarize Czech 
contributions to Afghanistan.) End summary. 
 
---------- 
Background 
---------- 
 
2. Support for democracy and human rights is a core principle 
of Czech foreign policy, and an enduring legacy of the Czech 
Republic's forty-year struggle against communism. Since the 
Velvet Revolution in 1989, the Czech Republic has proven 
itself a reliable U.S. ally in these areas, as well as an 
important partner in NATO and GWOT, a like-minded ally in the 
United Nations, and a strong promoter within the EU of the 
transatlantic relationship. 
 
3. The Czech Republic has identified the Balkans as a 
priority for all types of assistance because of strong 
historic ties between the Czechs and the people of the 
Balkans region, and to promote regional security. The Czechs 
are also engaged politically in the region. The Czech 
government supports future membership in NATO and the EU for 
Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, and Montenegro, and supports 
independence for Kosovo. The information below focuses 
primarily on Czech assistance for Serbia/Montenegro and 
Bosnia. 
 
------------------------------- 
Military/Security Contributions 
------------------------------- 
 
4. As detailed below, Czech military and security 
contributions to the Balkans since 1999 total nearly $200 
million. 
 
5. The Czech Army has participated in the NATO mission in 
Kosovo (KFOR) since 1999, beginning with the deployment of a 
reconnaissance unit. Since 2002, the Czech Army has operated 
within a joint Czech-Slovak Battalion (composed on average of 
500 Czech and 100 Slovak soldiers). In 2005, the Czech Army 
assumed the lead of the KFOR Multinational Task Force Center 
for six months. Currently, 450 Czech troops serve in KFOR. 
The cost of the Czech contribution to the KFOR mission since 
1999, including the 2007 budget, is $183 million. 
 
6. From 1999 to 2004, the Czech Republic deployed a total of 
3,260 troops to the NATO mission in Bosnia (SFOR). In 2004, 
120 Czech troops and two helicopters were deployed in Bosnia 
as peacekeepers with EU Althea (EUFOR). Currently, 55 Czech 
troops serve in Bosnia. The cost of Czech missions in Bosnia 
since 1999, including the 2007 budget, is $13 million. 
 
7. Additional security contributions to the region include: 
 
-- In 2001, the Czech Army participated in the NATO mission 
in FYROM (Essential Harvest), with 120 troops at a cost of 
$800,000. 
 
-- Police missions: Five Czech police are currently serving 
in the EU Police Mission in Bosnia (EUPM). Fourteen Czech 
police currently are serving in the UN Mission in Kosovo 
(UNMIK). 
 
-- Since October 2006, two experts on security and a 
logistics have served in the International Civilian Mission 
in Kosovo (ICM/ICO Preparation Team). 
 
 
PRAGUE 00000557  002 OF 003 
 
 
-- NATO Trust Fund: the Czechs donated EUR 20,000 ($27,175) 
to the fund for requalification of released soldiers, and EUR 
10,000 ($13,590) for liquidation of ammunition. 
 
------------------- 
Democracy Promotion 
------------------- 
 
8. The Czech MFA has designated Bosnia, Serbia, and now 
Montenegro, as priority countries (among others) for the 
MFA's Transformation Cooperation Unit (TRANS). TRANS is 
responsible for promoting democracy and strengthening civil 
society in third countries (Ref B). Since 2005, when TRANS 
was founded, the Czech MFA has spent nearly $500,000 in the 
Balkans. Implementing partners and projects in 2007 include: 
 
-- AGORA Central Europe: strengthening citizen participation 
in local government. 
 
-- The VIA Foundation: support for the Balkan Community 
Initiatives Fund (BCIF), an independent Serbian grant 
foundation that focuses on community development. 
 
-- Public administrators from the Southern Moravia Region of 
the Czech Republic: capacity building program for the public 
administration of the Sumadia region. 
 
---------------------------- 
Reconstruction & Development 
---------------------------- 
 
9. The Czech MFA has also designated Serbia, Montenegro, and 
Bosnia as priority countries for international development 
assistance. Czech projects in the region focus on industrial 
development, transport, healthcare, social development, 
migration, good governance, and environmental preservation. 
From 2001 to 2006, the Czechs spent over $26.2 million on 
projects in Serbia and Montenegro, and over $10 million in 
Bosnia. In May 2007, the Czech government announced it has 
allocated $15.4 million for Serbia through 2010 for 
development assistance, and an additional $2.7 for 
environmental protection. 
 
10. In addition, since 1999 the Czech government has 
contributed a total of $95 million to the Stability Pact (SP) 
to help stabilize the Balkans region (and in particular to 
fund solutions to the Kosovo crisis). Examples of Czech 
projects funded by SP funds include police training, 
assistance for internally displaced people, agricultural 
development, and industrial development. These projects were 
administered by the Czech Ministries of Interior, 
Agriculture, and Industry and Trade. 
 
11. In addition, Czech SP funds were used to provide 
assistance in the area of defense and security. For example, 
the Czechs co-financed a NATO project to improve 
communication equipment for the Bosnian Army, to support an 
OSCE project for Albanian border police, for a seminar for 
Serbian and Montenegrian students and journalists on the 
benefits of NATO membership. The Czechs have also made annual 
contributions to the International Trust Fund for demining 
activities in the region. 
 
12. An estimated $1 million remains in the SP fund, and will 
be provided to international organizations working in the 
Balkans. Examples of prior fund recipients include UNESCO 
(working to preserve cultural sites), and organizations that 
disarm citizens and provide capacity training for government 
leaders and police. 
 
----------------------- 
Humanitarian Assistance 
----------------------- 
 
13. The Czech government also provides humanitarian relief in 
the region. For example: 
 
-- Czech soldiers deployed in the KFOR mission have 
participated in humanitarian aid projects, including the 
delivery of educational equipment donated by Czech schools. 
 
-- The Czech government provides government scholarships to 
Czech universities to students from the Balkans. In 2006 
alone, the Czechs provided scholarships for 48 students from 
Serbia, and 7 students from Bosnia. 
 
-- The Ministry of Interior funds a medevac program that 
provides medical care in the Czech Republic for small numbers 
of chronically ill children living in Kosovo. 
 
 
PRAGUE 00000557  003 OF 003 
 
 
-- Since the 1990s, Czech NGO People in Need has worked to 
improve health care services and the quality of life for 
Serbians living with mental disabilities. 
 
-- The Czech government has approved a plan to send four 
Czech prison guards to the Hague to work in the UN prison 
serving the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former 
Yugoslavia (ICTY). The annual cost of this assistance is over 
$180,000. 
 
-- During the refugee crisis in 1999, the Czech government 
allocated money for a refugee camp in Albania and provided 
temporary refuge for Kosovo refugees. 
GRABER