VZCZCXRO5550
PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR
DE RUEHPG #0036/01 0221710
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 221710Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY PRAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2082
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0134
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 0001

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRAGUE 000036 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/ERA WLUCAS, EUR/CE FOR JBERGEMANN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/22/2015 
TAGS: EUN EZ EG PGOV PREL AF IR
SUBJECT: CZECH COMMENTS ON UPCOMING FAC 
 
REF: PRAGUE 30 
 
Classified By: POLEC Counselor Charles O. Blaha for reasons 1.4 (b) and 
 (d). 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: On January 20 emboff spoke with Czech MFA 
Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) Department Deputy 
Director Magdalena Janesova regarding the January Foreign 
Affairs Council (FAC).  She offered brief comments on 
possible EU sanctions against Iran, Yemen, Bosnia, Somalia, 
and Afghanistan.  She also referenced the Lisbon Treaty 
implementation, as it relates to High Representative Lady 
Ashton's leadership.  End Summary. 
 
---------- 
FMs to Discuss Three Baskets of Possible Iran Sanctions 
---------- 
¶2. (C) Janesova noted that Iran will be discussed in a 
restricted session (Foreign Ministers only) over lunch.  The 
idea behind this is that member states want their FMs to 
freely discuss Iran.  While the Czechs agree that the E3 3 
(which the Czechs still refer to as the P5 1) have made every 
effort with Iran, they are not optimistic that Iran will 
change course.  She noted as well that the Czechs have always 
been skeptical that the USG's "outstretched hand" would 
produce results and that within the EU the Czechs have been 
"hawks" regarding the need to apply pressure to Iran.  She 
did express hope that the USG's outreach and Iran's 
consistent and long-standing lack of compliance with the 
UNSCRs, may make it slightly easier to convince China and 
Russia that the UNSC needs to apply more pressure to Iran, 
but the Czechs were not optimistic. 
 
¶3. (C) Janesova noted that the EU is discussing possible 
measures of its own, if indeed little progress is made within 
the UNSC.  Within the FAC, the Foreign Ministers are planning 
to discuss three possible baskets of sanctions: 1) targeting 
specific economic industries, 2) preventing the curtailment 
of freedom of speech, and 3) targeting specific people within 
the regime. With respect to specific economic industries, 
Janesova noted the FMs will consider the oil industry, 
machinery related to the oil industry, and insurance 
companies that insure oil businesses.  On the regime's 
curtailment of free speech, the EU is apparently considering 
banning the export of internet technologies that allow the 
state to block access to particular sites.  The belief is 
that without purchasing these foreign technologies, the 
Iranian regime would be unable to restrict public access to 
such an extent.  Janesova commented that while there are 
targeted sanctions against people in the nuclear sector, the 
EU is considering expanding this to key people within the 
regime and perhaps limiting their travel and/or access to 
luxury goods.  According to Janesova there will not be a 
conclusion or statement on Iran out of this FAC. 
 
---------- 
Yemen 
---------- 
¶4. (SBU) As one of only five EU member states with a mission 
in Yemen, the Czechs follow the situation on the ground there 
closely.  Janesova made clear that the Czechs do not think 
the government's campaign against the Houthi will in any way 
be solved by a military solution.  The Czechs also see this 
issue with the Houthi rebels as a bit of a "proxy war" 
between Saudi Arabia and Iran with religious Sunni/Shia 
overtones.  The Czechs would like to see the international 
community support the national reconciliation process, 
focused on an analysis of challenges and economic 
reconstruction.  According to Janesova the Czechs have a few 
small development projects in the country.  Janesova 
commented that the Italians floated an idea of establishing a 
"Group of Friends of Yemen," which the Czechs would be 
interested in joining, if this comes to fruition.  She also 
noted that the Czechs are pressing the British for an 
invitation to the January 27 London Conference on Yemen and 
although they have not been invited yet, the Czechs are 
widely broadcasting their interest in attending. 
 
------ 
Bosnia - Butmir, Althea, and OHR 
------ 
¶5. (C) As DFM Pojar noted to A/S Gordon on January 13 (ref 
A), the Czechs "completely share our view" that it is up to 
the parties involved to take ownership of moving the Butmir 
process forward.  Janesova noted that the Foreign Ministers 
will also discuss operation Althea.  As she acknowledged, the 
EU member states have had difficulty finding the necessary 
troops to fully staff this mission.  There is a proposal to 
perhaps change the mandate from executive to non-executive in 
 
PRAGUE 00000036  002 OF 002 
 
 
order to make this a training mission, rather than 
peacekeeping.  There is also a question of how long to keep 
this mission in Bosnia.  The Czechs think it would be 
valuable to keep the mission "as is" through elections. 
Janesova also commented that within the Czech Republic there 
has been talk about perhaps eventually moving some of the 
military troops currently assigned to KFOR to Bosnia.  This 
would allow the Czechs to keep troops within the Balkans and 
still provide a credible "over the horizon" force if needed 
for Kosovo. 
 
¶6. (SBU) On the question of the Office of the High 
Representative (OHR) and the EU Special Representative 
(EUSR), Janesova acknowledged that the OHR will not close 
before elections.  She did thank us for reminding the EU of 
the possibility of enhancing the EUSR's authority by granting 
this office the "tool kit." She also shared her view that it 
would be unwise to separate the functions of these two 
offices. 
 
---------- 
Afghanistan - Upcoming Conferences 
---------- 
¶7. (SBU) Janesova indicated that the discussion on 
Afghanistan at the FAC will focus heavily on preparations for 
the London conference.  The Czechs plan to also highlight the 
upcoming (January 25-27) PRT conference here in Prague as 
more than 200 people from more than 40 countries have 
registered to attend.  While the Czechs support the London 
Conference focus on an Afghan-led reintegration program for 
low-level insurgents, they are not planning to announce any 
specific pledge at the London Conference.  They will wait to 
see the details of the Afghan plan before they make any 
funding announcements. 
 
---------- 
Somalia/Atalanta 
---------- 
¶8. (SBU) The member states plan to discuss a training 
mission, which the EU hopes to start in February.  The Czechs 
are hoping to focus attention on as yet unresolved issues 
(such as soldiers' pay). As the Czechs lack a Navy as well as 
experts fighting piracy, they are not planning to contribute 
personnel to this mission. 
 
---------- 
EU Implementation of Lisbon Reform Treaty 
---------- 
¶9. (SBU) Lady Ashton is learning the ropes, according to 
Janesova, and while the Czechs consider her very strong and 
intelligent, Janesova expressed concern about the slow pace 
at which she is learning her responsibilities.  The Czech MFA 
is concerned that while some things have happened quickly 
(the appointment of Ashton's cabinet), other key issues have 
yet to be finalized (budget, organization chart, position 
descriptions, etc.) and "April is fast approaching."  As a 
broader issue, the Czechs are pressing for "transparency" in 
the implementation of Lisbon treaty reforms and expressed 
clear nervousness that new/small member states may not be 
well represented in this process.  Janesova also commented 
that the development of the External Action Service is taking 
shape.  Apparently there is talk that this cadre of diplomats 
will be in the range of 2000-2200 officials, but it is 
unclear as to whether this is for Brussels alone or for 
Brussels and offices abroad as well. 
Thompson-Jones