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DE RUEHC #2254 3062225
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 022208Z NOV 07
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHPG/AMEMBASSY PRAGUE IMMEDIATE 0000
INFO RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
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UNCLAS STATE 152254 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CR MARR PARM PREL
SUBJECT: RESPONSE TO CZECH NON-PAPER ON BMD FRAMEWORK 
AGREEMENT 
 
REF: STATE 138417 
 
¶1. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST.  SEE PARAGRAPH 2. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Action Request.  Embassy Prague may provide the 
text of the U.S. letter and attachment in paragraph 3 to 
appropriate MFA officials for their information.  The 
originals of these documents have been sent to the Czech 
Embassy in Washington, in response to the Czech non-paper 
titled "Czech View on the Framework Agreement and Related 
Questions." 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Begin text of U.S. letter and attachment: 
 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
 
MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY 
7100 DEFENSE PENTAGON 
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20301-7100 
 
Mr. Jaroslav Kurfurst 
Deputy Chief of Mission 
Embassy of the Czech Republic in 
Washington, D.C., 
3900 Spring of Freedom St. NW 
Washington, DC 20008 
 
Dear Mr. Kurfurst: 
 
      We appreciate the thoughtful consideration of the 
proposed Framework Agreement by the Czech Government as 
reflected in the non-paper you provided during your recent 
visit to MDA.  Attached please find a response that 
specifically addresses each question posed by your non-paper. 
 
      The Framework Agreement will affirm our close 
political-military relationship and signal our mutual intent 
to expand cooperation in the area of Ballistic Missile 
Defense (BMD).  Toward this aim, the Framework Agreement will 
serve as an instrument under which such cooperative 
activities can be identified, negotiated, and implemented. 
 
      While the scope of cooperation under this agreement is 
limited to BMD, potential opportunities do exist for 
industry, technical, and academic cooperation.  The BMD 
Seminar being planned should prove to be an important next 
step toward identifying potential areas for cooperation, both 
government-to-government and industry-to-industry, or with 
academia.  As we agreed during our meeting, our goal is to 
hold the seminar in January 2008. 
 
      Finally, I look forward to beginning negotiations on 
the Framework Agreement and recommend that the Czech 
Government propose a date for us to initiate these 
discussions. 
 
Sincerely, 
 
 
(signed) 
 
 
NANCY E. MORGAN 
Deputy for International Affairs 
 
Enclosure 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
ATTACHMENT:  RESPONSES TO SPECIFIC QUESTIONS: 
 
1)  Would the Framework Agreement facilitate in any practical 
way cooperation between Czech and U.S. companies in general? 
 
     The scope of the Framework Agreement will be limited to 
exchanges of information that relate to the U.S. Ballistic 
Missile Defense System (BMDS) Program.  It will establish 
authorization for information sharing related to an 
integrated BMDS. This authorization is necessary to explore 
opportunities for cooperative RDT&E and industry-to-industry 
cooperation in this area.  To the extent cooperative 
activities related to the BMDS stimulate interest in other 
potential cooperative activities outside the scope of this 
agreement, the Framework Agreement would not govern such 
activities. 
 
2)  Will the procedures for Czech companies participating in 
the U.S. BMDS Program be any easier after signing the 
Framework Agreement? 
 
     The Framework Agreement will establish an Executive 
Steering Committee (ESC) to oversee all activities under this 
Agreement.  Through the ESC, the Parties will have the 
opportunity to develop agreed mechanisms for processing 
cooperative activities, referred to as Annexes, consistent 
with applicable laws and regulations.  Establishing Annexes 
should benefit cooperative efforts by improving Czech 
familiarity with procedures governing the exchange of 
information, security, financial management, third party 
transfers, work planning, and conclusion of Annexes. 
 
     In addition, subordinate management groups could be 
established to manage bilateral activities on a permanent or 
ad hoc basis, as required. 
 
3)  Does the proposed cooperation include Research and 
Development not directly related to BMD? 
 
     The purpose of the Framework Agreement is to explore 
possibilities for engaging in cooperative activities 
pertaining to and in support of an integrated defense against 
ballistic missiles launched at the territory or armed forces 
of the Parties and their allies.  The Framework Agreement may 
promote and facilitate Czech participation in the U.S. BMDS 
Program.  Any potential cooperative activity mutually deemed 
supportive of the U.S. BMDS Program would fall within the 
purview of the Framework Agreement, even if such cooperative 
activity had, in addition, beneficial application beyond the 
scope of the BMDS. 
 
4)  In which way would the Annexes to the Agreement be 
negotiated? 
 
     The United States Government has negotiated Annexes with 
its other Framework Partners directly between the U.S. 
Department of Defense and the respective partner's Ministry 
of Defense.  The United States is willing to negotiate with 
the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however, we encourage 
the Czech Government to include representatives from the 
Czech Ministry of Defense in all such negotiations. 
 
      The Missile Defense Agency would act as the negotiating 
agency on behalf of the Department of Defense.  The lead 
negotiator for all Annex negotiations would be the MDA Deputy 
for International Affairs, Ms. Nancy Morgan. 
 
 5)  Has the U.S. concluded a similar kind of Framework 
Agreement with other Allies? 
 
     The Department of Defense has signed BMD Framework 
Agreements with the Defense Ministries of Australia, Denmark, 
Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom.  In general, the 
cooperative activities developed from these arrangements have 
resulted in modest programs that have played an important 
part in the BMDS. 
RICE