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PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHPG #1283/01 3411330
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 071330Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY PRAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9880
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRAGUE 001283 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
EUR/ERA JGIAUQUE, EUR/NCE FOR ATRATENSEK 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EUN EZ EG PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: CZECH COMMENTS IN ADVANCE OF THE EU GAERC 
 
REF: STATE 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Emboff met with Vaclav Balek, Director of 
the Czech MFA Department of Common Foreign and Security 
Policy prior to the December 10 EU General Affairs and 
External Relations Council (GAERC).  Of note were his 
comments on: Iran, Israel, Kosovo, Burma, Chad and European 
Neighborhood Policy. 
 
---------- 
Iran - EU Sanctions Unlikely Now 
---------- 
¶2. (SBU) According to Balek, given the information contained 
in the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), it is unlikely 
that the EU Foreign Ministers will adopt EU sanctions at the 
December 10 GAERC.  Balek indicated that this reluctance has 
several causes - while some EU member states question the 
efficacy of EU sanctions against Iran, others remain 
reluctant to jeopardize economic ties with Iran, and still 
others question whether sanctions are appropriate given Iran 
has suspended "weaponization."  Thus, Balek anticipates that 
certain EU member states will press for "time to study the 
NIE," and that the EU FMs will adopt GAERC conclusions on 
Iran along the lines of the November GAERC - expressing 
concern about Iran not meeting its UNSC obligations. 
Considering the sensitivity of this topic and its links to 
Missile Defense, Balek noted that the NIE has not changed the 
GOCR position on Iran or MD. 
 
---------- 
Kosovo - EU Still Working on Its Own Position 
---------- 
¶3. (SBU) Balek expects the EU FMs will discuss Kosovo and the 
implications for the broader Western Balkans at the GAERC. 
He commented that they also are likely to try to hammer out 
the details of an EU ESDP mission since the EU does not 
expect the Kosovars to make an unilateral declaration of 
independence (UDI) prior to the end of the orthodox Christmas 
season in early January.  Balek's first concern, however, is 
not how the EU will handle recognition of an eventual UDI 
(likely to be discussed at an extraordinary GAERC and then 
left to individual member states in his opinion), but rather 
whether the EU will be able to rapidly come to consensus on 
the ESDP mission.  When all is said and done, Balek 
anticipates that this will come together, but that it will 
require quite a bit of arm twisting of reluctant EU member 
states. 
 
---------- 
Israel - EU Mood Shift 
---------- 
¶4. (SBU) While Balek had very little that he wanted to add to 
our points on the Israel-Palestinian Peace Process, he did 
flag for our attention that the Annapolis conference provided 
a bit of an impetus for the EU to evaluate its position with 
respect to Israel.  He indicated that there has been a bit of 
a "mood shift" within the EU and that there is interest in 
exploring strengthening EU-Israeli relations in such possible 
areas as access to certain EU programs or EU internal 
markets.  Balek noted that he could not be more specific 
since this is still such a recent development.  Balek was 
also very clear to caution that the USG should refrain from 
any "bold expressions" encouraging the EU to expand economic 
cooperation with Israel since this almost certainly would not 
go over well with certain EU member states reluctant to make 
changes to the current relationship. 
 
---------- 
Burma - Give Gambari Time 
---------- 
¶5. (SBU) According to the Czechs, the EU does not plan to 
release any conclusions on Burma at this GAERC, nor is Balek 
aware of any plan for the EU FMs to discuss expanding 
existing EU sanctions to include financial sectors.  The EU 
FMs will discuss the topic generally and their concerns about 
the regime's lack of positive action, but the general 
sentiment, according to Balek, is that UNSYG special advisor 
Gambari needs more time to negotiate before the EU takes 
additional steps. 
 
---------- 
Chad - Support, but Minimal 
---------- 
¶6. (SBU) Balek noted that the EU FMs will discuss the 
preparations for the EUFOR Chad-RCA mission.  He noted that 
they have already had several planning conferences, and yet 
they are still short of personnel, equipment and financing. 
Since the EU has made a commitment to undertake this mission, 
there will be quite a lot of pressure on leading EU member 
states to address the shortfalls.  The Czech Republic has 
 
PRAGUE 00001283  002 OF 002 
 
 
committed three people to the EUFOR Chad-RCA mission, but 
does not plan to offer any additional support at this time. 
They are considering providing special forces, however, only 
after the first rotation is completed in six months time 
(this would consist of approximately 100 SOF personnel who 
are also being considered for deployment to Afghanistan). 
 
---------- 
European Neighborhood Policy - Mixed Progress 
---------- 
¶7. (SBU) The EU FMs will discuss the progress reports of the 
EU's Eastern Neighbors' implementation of individual action 
plans, which the EU Secretariat has prepared.  Since the 
Czech plan to focus on ENP during their 2009 EU Presidency, 
they have been following the progress of these countries 
closely.  With respect to Ukraine, Balek commented it has had 
some difficulties with implementing certain reforms (Note: He 
did not specify which).  Moldova, however, appears to have 
made solid progress on many of its identified tasks, although 
there is still the sticky issue of Transnistria. 
Graber