P 231300Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY PRAGUE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0943
INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS PRAGUE 000798 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL EZ KNAR SCUL
SUBJECT:  CZECH REPUBLIC: HOLOCAUST ERA ASSETS CONFERENCE IN JUNE 
2009 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Top Czech officials are  urging attendance at the 
highest possible level by the United States and 46 other invited 
countries at the June 26-30 2009 Prague Conference on Holocaust Era 
Assets (HEA). The Czechs see the conference as a follow up to the 
1998 Washington Conference and want it to have an equally important 
impact in identifying solutions to outstanding Holocaust issues. 
The GOCR is putting particular emphasis on education and is 
sensitive to potential controversies in dealing with art and 
financial issues. It will work through diplomatic channels in the 
preparatory phase to avoid problems in gaining approval of a 
conference declaration. The Conference will occur at the conclusion 
of the Czech Republic's EU presidency. End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) On November 26, 2008, Ambassador Milos Pojar, GOCR special 
representative, and Denisa Haubertova, advisor to DPM Alexandr 
Vondra, briefed members of the diplomatic corps regarding the 2009 
Holocaust Era Assets Conference. The stated objective of the 
Conference is to "evaluate activities which followed from the 
conclusions of the 1998 Washington Conference and give a new impetus 
for further international cooperation with the emphasis on 
education." The conference will take place in Prague and Terezin, 
Czech Republic, on June 26-30, 2009. According to Haubertova, the 
timing in late June 2009 is intended as a symbolic conclusion of the 
Czech EU presidency.  It is planned that the conference will be 
officially concluded by signature of a joint declaration, referred 
to as the "Terezin Declaration," focusing on the historical aspects 
of the Holocaust and the current situation of Holocaust victims, as 
well as on education and preserving the moral message for future 
generations. 
 
¶3. (SBU) During his December 4 meeting with Representative Robert 
Wexler (D-FL), Executive Director of the Federation of Jewish 
Communities Tomas Kraus, who is also involved in organizing the June 
2009 conference, summarized the expected results of the June 
conference:  1) Bring attention to the outstanding tasks, but avoid 
controversial issues;  2) encourage Holocaust education, including 
the establishment of a special education institution in Terezin; 3) 
establish in Prague an international association for provenance 
research of art displaced during World War II. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Originally, the Czechs envisioned a much smaller conference 
that would focus on looted art only. However, with the support of 
DPM Alexandr Vondra, who served as the Czech Ambassador to 
Washington during the 1998 Washington Conference, the conference has 
evolved into a much broader project.  After consulting with 
Ambassador Christian Kennedy, Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues, on 
the idea of the follow-up conference, DPM Vondra proposed the 
Holocaust conference to the Czech government. On July 23, 2008, the 
Czech government approved the event and tasked DPM Vondra and 
Foreign Minister Schwarzenberg with the conference's preparation. 
Ambassador Milos Pojar was appointed as the country's special 
representative for coordinating the conference. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The organizers invited 47 countries and 22 NGOs to 
participate.  (Note: An official letter of invitation signed by PM 
Mirek Topolanek was sent to President Bush in July 2008.  End 
note.).  Three EU commissioners, namely Margot Walstroem, Jan Figel 
and Vladimir Spidla, were also invited to assure high level EU 
participation.  The GOCR hopes for top officials from invited 
countries to participate, and thus give the proceedings and the 
final declaration a strong political mandate.  DPM Vondra reiterated 
during various official meetings, including his November 17-19 trip 
to the United States, that it would be very important for the 
overall impact of the conference to have a high level official from 
the United States attend the conference, i.e. Secretary of State or 
Vice President. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Kraus stressed during his December 4 Prague meeting with 
Rep. Wexler that the participation of the U.S. Secretary of State 
would be crucial.  Moreover, he stated that it would be vital to 
have the information about the U.S. delegation by the end of March 
at latest, so that other delegations could appropriately adjust the 
level of their participation.  Rep. Wexler promised to pass this 
information to the transition team and mentioned that he may also 
seek to form a congressional delegation to the 2009 conference. 
 
¶7. (SBU) In preparing the conference, the Czech government is 
heavily relying on the experience and know-how of the U.S. 
government and NGOs which organized the 1998 Washington Conference. 
During his November 17-23 trip to the United States, Ambassador 
Pojar, Tomas Kraus, and Denisa Haubertova met with Ambassador 
Kennedy and representatives of various organizations, including the 
Claims Conference, American Jewish Committee, World Jewish Congress, 
American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and a delegation of 
Holocaust survivors.  Their meetings in the United States focused 
among other things on the scope and structure of the planned 
conference. The organizers adopted several recommendations from 
Ambassador Kennedy, including the concept of a friends-of-the-chair 
group, which could share preparation costs and help shape the agenda 
of  the respective working groups. 
 
¶8. (SBU) According to the current Czech plans for the conference, 
the opening plenary session would be devoted to reviewing issues 
such as financial assets, bank accounts, insurance, and other 
financial property.  The US will assist the Czech Chair with the 
preparations for the financial assets recovery and financial 
compensation portion to ensure all stakeholders are consulted. 
Former Treasury Deputy Ambassador Stuart Eizenstat has agreed to 
deliver the opening speech on this subject.  Then the participants 
would divide into four working groups:  1) Holocaust education, 
remembrance, research, and social programs for Holocaust victims; 2) 
immovable property, both private and communal; 3) looted art; and 4) 
Judaica and Jewish cultural property.  The chairs of respective 
groups together with the friends-of-the-chair will work on the 
agenda and composition of the working groups, and will draft 
respective parts of the final declaration.  The following countries 
have declared their interest in participating in the financial and 
conceptual preparations:  United States, Germany, United Kingdom, 
France, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Austria, and Russia. 
 
¶9. (SBU) The Czech government has allocated CZK 500,000 (about USD 
25,000) for the conference, a sum substantially less than the full 
cost of the conference.  DPM Vondra mentioned financing issues 
during his recent U.S. trip and stated that contributions from 
private as well as federal sources were welcome. He left the United 
States with a promise of USD 100,000 by the Claims Conference. It is 
expected that the friends-of-the-chair will also share some of the 
financial burden. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Comment:  Having approved the hosting of the 2009 HEA 
conference, the Czechs have been careful to work through consensus 
and hope to avoid at the conference certain controversial issues, 
such as insurance claims and problems concerning looted art.  They 
have heard Ambassador Kennedy's advice that sensitive bilateral 
diplomacy will be necessary to prepare the ground for progress at 
this conference.  In the Czechs' view, the conference should 
motivate participants to undertake additional positive and tangible 
steps.  The Czechs feel very keenly the need for action.  As Kraus 
recently pointed out:  "It is the last chance to do something, while 
the Holocaust survivors are still around.  Five years from now, 
there may  be no survivors." 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Comment continued:  While the intent to make this 
conference a successful cap to their EU presidency is clear, the 
GOCR appears behind schedule in nailing down concrete preparations. 
They indicated a time-line for working group meetings would be 
forthcoming, but so far potential hosts for preparatory meetings 
have not been formally approached for concept papers, dates, or 
financial contributions.  The Czech allotment of approximately 
$25,000 would seem to indicate that they are expecting sizeable 
contributions from other governments and NGOs.  Furthermore, the 
Czech proposals for a special education institution in Terezin and 
establishment in Prague of an international association for 
provenance research of art displaced during WWII are new ideas that 
we have not yet been fully briefed on. 
 
¶12.  (U) Ambassador Kennedy (EUR/OHI) has cleared this cable.