VZCZCXRO7085
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK
RUEHYG
DE RUEHPG #0433 2081131
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 271131Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY PRAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1599
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 0045
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 0548
RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI 0133

UNCLAS PRAGUE 000433 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
EUR/ERA WLUCAS, EUR/CE FOR ASCHEIBE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EUN EZ EG PGOV PREL SO
SUBJECT: CZECH COMMENTS ON UPCOMING JULY GAERC 
 
REF: PRAGUE 418 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: On July 23 emboff spoke with Katerina 
Sequensova of the Czech MFA Department of Common Foreign and 
Security Policy in advance of the July 27-28 EU General 
Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC).  She offered 
comments on the EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) in Georgia, and 
on Iran, Somalia, Moldova and the Czech-Canadian visa issue. 
End Summary. 
 
---------- 
Czechs Would Welcome US Involvement in Georgia EUMM 
---------- 
¶2. (SBU) Sequensova stated that the EU member states have 
agreed to extend the mandate of the EU Monitoring Mission 
(EUMM) for one year (through September 14, 2009).  As noted 
in Ref A, the Czechs would strongly encourage and support 
U.S. participation in this mission, particularly in light of 
the departure of OSCE and UN observer missions. In their 
opinion, USG involvement, particularly on the ground, would 
send a strong message to the rest of the world of European 
and U.S. solidarity. Sequensova also noted that equipment, 
such as vehicles could be very useful. (Note: The Czechs 
currently have 9 Czechs participating in this 200 person 
EUMM.  End Note.) 
 
---------- 
Broad Discussion of Iran and Somalia 
---------- 
¶3. (SBU) The EU Foreign Ministers are scheduled to discuss 
Iran during the GAERC luncheon.  The key elements to be 
covered are the detentions of European and Iranian citizens 
as well as the nuclear issue.  The EU troika delivered a 
demarche in Tehran on July 23 regarding the detention of 
European citizens (French and British).  The Europeans are 
awaiting a reaction from Iran.  According to Sequensova, the 
EU will likely follow the lead of the French on this matter 
since the British embassy employees have been released and it 
is only the French citizen Clothilde Reiss who is still being 
held.  The EU sentiment on Friday was to tighten its 
coordinated position and to perhaps summon Iranian Heads of 
Mission in European capitals for an explanation. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Czechs expect the discussion on Somalia to focus 
on EU High Representative Solana's May letter and for this to 
be a discussion of the main elements of the EU's long-term 
strategy in the region (such as how to strengthen the African 
Union).  The EU Foreign Ministers also plan to discuss 
whether to name an EU Special Representative for the Horn of 
Africa.  According to Sequensova, the EU has not progressed 
to the stage of having a name in mind for the job. 
 
---------- 
Other Business - Moldova and Czech Visa Issue with Canada 
---------- 
¶5. (SBU) Now that Canada has reimposed visa requirements on 
the Czech Republic related to the substantial increase in 
asylum requests from Czech Roma this year, the Czechs have 
asked to add this issue to the GAERC agenda under "Any Other 
Business."  Foreign Minister Kohout plans to press the other 
EU member states to stand in solidarity with the Czechs. 
Also under AOB, Polish FM Sikorski is scheduled to speak 
about his recent trip to Moldova. 
Thompson-Jones