VZCZCXRO0754
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHPG #0038 0201452
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 201452Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY PRAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1019
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 0062
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 0047

UNCLAS PRAGUE 000038 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
EUR/CE FOR ATRATENSEK, EUR/ERA FOR JGIAUQUE, NEA/IPA FOR 
PKNOPF AND ALENTZ 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MARR MASS PARM KWBG PHUM IS EZ PREL
SUBJECT: CZECH REPUBLIC COMMENTS ON GAZA 
 
REF: A. CARNIE-LENZ E-MAIL 1.16.09 
     ¶B. STATE 4387 
 
¶1. (SBU) Emboff spoke with Ambassador Josef Koutsky of the 
MFA Middle East and North Africa Department on January 15 and 
again on January 16.  Koutsky noted that Foreign Minister 
Schwarzenberg has been highly engaged in reaching out to his 
counterparts to advance efforts to attain a sustainable cease 
fire in Gaza.  According to Koutsky, the FM has been in 
regular contact over the last few days with the Egyptians 
(speaking with the Egyptian FM twice on January 15 alone), as 
well as European Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner, French FM 
Kouchner, German FM Steinmeyer as well as the Brits and 
Norweigians.  With FM Schwarzenberg in Capetown January 15-16 
for an EU Troika meeting with South Africa, Koutsky said that 
his department has had difficulty getting details about the 
exact content of these conversations.  As a case in point, 
while there have been numerous conversations regarding the 
proposed donors' conference on humanitarian assistance for 
Gaza, Koutsky indicated he is not, as yet, fully aware of 
where things stand between his FM and the Egyptian FM 
regarding hosting the conference.  He is aware, however, 
through other channels, that French FM Kouchner is on board 
with the Czech offer to host the donors' conference in 
Prague. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On January 16, Schwarzenberg cut short his meetings 
in Capetown in order to consult with the Egyptians and 
Israelis and to join Czech Prime Minister Topolanek at the 
Sharm el-Sheikh summit on January 18. Following this summit, 
the Czech Presidency announced on January 19, that it will 
organize a dinner in Brussels for the EU 27 with Israeli FM 
Livn on Wednesday, January 21.  On Sunday, January 25 (on 
the margins of the GAERC) the Czechs will host another dinner 
in Brussels for the EU 27 with Egypt, Jordan, Turkey and the 
Palestinian National Authority at the FM level. 
 
---------- 
U.S.-Israeli Anti-Smuggling MOU 
---------- 
¶3. (SBU) Emboff also presented the reftel points to 
Ambassador Koutsky regarding the anti-smuggling MOU. He 
thanked us for these details and noted that in a similar vein 
the EU is also trying to address this issue via its renewed 
offer to support a Border Assistance Mission in Rafah.  In 
closing he noted that this too is something Schwarzenberg has 
and will continue to discuss with the Israelis and Egyptians. 
Thompson-Jones