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S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 PRAGUE 000002 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CE JOHN BERGEMANN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/29/2019 
TAGS: PREL PHUM KDEM EZ
SUBJECT: VP BIDEN'S MEETING WITH CZECH PRIME MINISTER 
FISCHER, OCTOBER 23, 2009 
 
Classified By: Political-Economic Counselor Charles O. Blaha; reasons 1 
.4(b) and (d). 
 
¶1.  (U) Vice President Biden met with Czech Prime Minister 
Jan Fischer in Prague on October 23, 2009. 
 
U.S. Participants 
----------------- 
Vice President Joseph R. Biden 
Charge d,Affaires Mary Thompson-Jones 
Antony Blinken, National Security Advisor to the Vice 
President 
Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, NSC Senior Director for Europe 
Barry Pavel, NSC Senior Director for Defense Policy and 
Strategy 
Pamela Quanrud, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Europe 
Sumona Guha, Special Advisor for Europe and Eurasia to the 
Vice President 
John Law, Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy Prague 
 
Czech Participants 
------------------- 
Mr. Jan Fischer, Prime Minister 
Mr. Jan Kohout, 1st Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of 
Foreign Affairs 
Mr. Vladimir Tosovsky, Minister of Industry and Trade 
Ms. Miroslava Kopicova, Minister of Education, Youth and 
Sports 
Mr. Peter Kolar, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the USA 
Mr. Tomas Pojar, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs 
Mr. Jan Fulik, Deputy Minister of Defense 
Mr. Jan Novak, Head of the Office of the Government 
Ms. Jana Dvoranova, Office of the Government, Advisor for 
Defense, Security and Foreign Policy 
Mr. Roman Prodak, Spokesperson for the Office of the 
Government 
Mr. Roman Bohacek, Interpreter 
 
¶2.  (S/NF) Summary.  Vice President Biden and Prime Minister 
Fischer discussed missile defense, energy security, and 
Afghanistan during their bilateral meeting in Prague on 
October 23.  Vice President Biden explained that the U.S. 
decision to adopt a new phased, adaptive approach to missile 
defense was based on a new understanding of the threat from 
Iran.  The new system would provide better security for the 
United States and for Europe.  Prime Minister Fischer said 
the Czech Republic would like to play a role in the new 
system, particularly with respect to Research and Development 
components.  Vice President Biden said he believed Europe 
could do more to strengthen its own energy security.  Prime 
Minister Fischer said the Czech Republic was trying to 
diversify its sources of supply and transit, including by 
developing nuclear power.  Vice President Biden described the 
ongoing U.S. strategy review for Afghanistan, emphasizing 
that under no scenario was the U.S. considering leaving 
Afghanistan.  Prime Minister Fischer said that the Czech 
Republic wants to strengthen its presence and capacity in 
Afghanistan.  End Summary. 
 
Missile Defense 
--------------- 
 
¶3.  (S/NF) Prime Minister Fischer said that the Czech 
Republic took note of the U.S. Administration's decision to 
adopt a new approach to missile defense, stating that the 
Czech Republic intended to continue its cooperation with the 
U.S., and all previous agreements would remain in place.  In 
particular, the Czech Republic was interested in further 
cooperation on research and development aspects of the new 
missile defense architecture and other forms of scientific 
cooperation. 
 
¶4.  (S/NF) The Vice President said that the United States 
decided to adopt the new phased, adaptive approach to missile 
defense based on a new understanding of the threat from Iran, 
and it had nothing to do with Russia.  Secretary Gates, who 
had heavily influenced the previous system, had been informed 
that short- and medium-range missiles from Iran were a more 
serious threat to the United States and its NATO Allies than 
previous estimates had projected.  The new missile defense 
architecture would better protect the United States and 
Europe from this Iranian threat.  The United States intends 
to consult closely with NATO Allies as the missile defense 
architecture is put in place.  The first phase of the new 
system protects Europe's southern flank.  Subsequent phases, 
which are still in development, would protect more areas in 
Europe.  The new system would provide better protection for 
Europe than the previous program. 
 
PRAGUE 00000002  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶5.  (S/NF) The Vice President told Prime Minister Fischer 
that the U.S. would welcome Czech participation in the new 
system.  In particular, if the Czech Republic wished to 
contribute something in terms of Research and Development, 
the U.S. would welcome its cooperation.  The Vice President 
and Prime Minister Fischer agreed that U.S. and Czech 
delegations could discuss the details during the November 5-6 
High Level Defense Group Meetings in Prague. 
 
Other Defense Cooperation 
------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (S/NF) Prime Minister Fischer noted that the Czech 
Republic is interested in acquiring C-130s.  Prague also 
wanted more FMF funding; it sees a disparity between what it 
gets and what Poland gets under this program so would like to 
explore the possibility of receiving more funding.  Fischer 
said the Czech Republic would like to finalize the Memorandum 
of Understanding for the Research, Development, Testing and 
Evaluation Agreement.  The Vice President agreed that the 
United States and Czech Republic could explore many areas of 
defense cooperation other than those related to missile 
defense, and suggested that U.S. and Czech experts discuss 
the issues in more detail during the November 5-6 High Level 
Defense Group meetings in Prague. 
 
Energy Security 
--------------- 
 
¶7.  (S/NF) Prime Minister Fischer said energy security was an 
important issue to the Czech Republic.  He noted it was a key 
issue during the Czech EU Presidency in the first half of 
¶2009.  He characterized Czech diversification of energy 
sources as "poor" and said Prague is looking for alternative, 
safer routes of supply since it is still heavily dependent on 
Russia, and Belarus and Ukraine are unreliable transit 
countries.  The Czech Republic also wants to pursue nuclear 
energy and has a tender out for a massive expansion of 
nuclear power capacity.  Fischer noted that the U.S. company 
Westinghouse was under consideration for the tender to build 
nuclear power plants. 
 
¶8.  (S/NF) Vice President Biden said he was interested in 
discussing energy security, and expressed the view that 
Europe as a whole could do much more for itself to respond to 
Russia's use of energy as a blunt political weapon.  It was 
in the U.S. interest for Europe to have increasing energy 
independence and multiple sources of supply.  The United 
States was ready to work with Czech Republic on the range of 
energy issues, including wind, energy efficiency, and 
developing alternate sources of supply.  The Vice President 
advocated for the Czech Republic to choose Westinghouse for 
its future purchase of nuclear power plants. 
 
Afghanistan 
----------- 
 
¶9.  (S/NF) Prime Minister Fischer raised Afghanistan, saying 
the Czech Republic wants to strengthen its presence not only 
in numbers but in capacity.  Despite budgetary pressures, 
Prague planned to send 35 more troops.  It has made a 
specific proposition to purchase L-159 planes for Afghan 
forces and is waiting for a response from the U.S. side. 
 
¶10. (S/NF) The Vice President described the ongoing U.S. 
strategy review for Afghanistan, saying the question was how 
to refine the strategy to stabilize Afghanistan, eliminate 
Al-Qaida, and stabilize Pakistan.  He assured Prime Minister 
Fischer that under no scenario was the U.S. considering 
leaving Afghanistan.  The Vice President thanked Prime 
Minister Fischer for the work that Czech soldiers were doing 
in Afghanistan. 
 
U.S.-Czech Relations 
-------------------- 
 
¶11.  (S/NF) The Vice President emphasized that the United 
States valued its relationship with the Czech Republic, and 
said the U.S. no longer asks what it can do for countries of 
Central and Eastern Europe, but what it can do with them. 
The Vice President said the United States views the Czech 
Republic as a partner and a leader in promoting a democratic 
and secure Europe.  Prime Minister Fischer expressed 
appreciation for these remarks, noting that the Czech 
Republic is now a mature democracy that wants to assume 
increasing responsibilities on global issues. 
Lucas