US embassy cable - 04PRAGUE1859

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRAGUE 001859 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KJUS, PREL, CVIS, EZ 
SUBJECT: ATTORNEY GENERAL ASHCROFT'S DECEMBER 14 VISIT TO 
PRAGUE 
 
 
-- SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PROTECT ACCORDINGLY -- 
 
1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Attorney General Ashcroft met separately 
with the Czech Ministers of the Interior and Justice in 
Prague, December 14, 2004.  The Attorney General thanked the 
Czechs for their contributions in Iraq and Afghanistan, as 
well as for their cooperation with U.S. law enforcement 
agencies such as the FBI and the DEA.  Both sides agreed that 
the existing bilateral extradition treaty is outdated and 
needs to be replaced.  The Attorney General explained that an 
updated bilateral protocol to the US-EU extradition agreement 
would have to be negotiated in the future.  Justice Minister 
Nemec asked the US to reconsider its visa policy.  The 
Attorney General said he would share this with Secretary 
Powell in a meeting the following week. END SUMMARY. 
 
 
INTERIOR: GOODWILL, COOPERATION, AND A PERSONAL REQUEST 
 
 
2. (SBU) The Attorney General's meeting with Interior 
Minister Frantisek Bublan was characterized by gratitude on 
both sides for the level of successful and necessary 
cooperation between US and Czech law enforcement agencies, 
particularly the FBI and the DEA.  The one problem that was 
raised was the outdated bilateral extradition treaty, which, 
both agreed, needed to be replaced.  The Attorney General 
explained that he was in Europe to sign recently negotiated 
MLATs and extradition treaties with six of the 15 "old" 
members of the EU, and added that, while the US is 
negotiating with the EU-15 before doing the same with the 
countries that acceded this May, he was confident that some 
day there would be a similar signing with the Czech Republic. 
 Minister Bublan said he would like to learn from the 
instruments the AG is signing as it is likely that the future 
agreement with the Czech Republic would be along similar 
lines. 
 
3. (SBU) Minister Bublan closed the meeting with a personal 
request for the US government to help transport 2 armored 
vehicles to Baghdad, where they would be used by a security 
detail at the Czech Embassy in Iraq.  This request has 
already been passed through Embassy Prague's Defense Attache 
Office to Washington and EUCOM. 
 
JUSTICE: A FRANKER EXCHANGE ON EXTRADITION OF NATIONALS AND 
VISAS 
 
4. (SBU) The Attorney general's meeting with Justice Minister 
and Deputy PM Pavel Nemec also began with his expressions of 
gratitude for the Czech's demonstrated commitment to the rule 
of law, and for their contributions in the fight against 
terrorism.  He specifically expressed his thanks for keeping 
the Czech military policemen in Iraq until after next month's 
elections.  The AG also explained that the purpose of his 
trip was to sign recently concluded MLATs and extradition 
treaties with several EU states.  He added that the US has 
been working since 1997 on an updated extradition treaty with 
the Czech Republic and that he was "eager to move forward on 
this."  The AG explained that the other EU states had, with 
regard to the question of extradition of nationals, taken 
what he referred to as "a mature position," and said he hoped 
that the Czech Republic would see that it is in their 
interest to have an updated treaty. 
 
5. (SBU) Minister Nemec responded that he was also grateful 
for the existing level of cooperation on law enforcement. 
With regard to Iraq,  he said,  "It was appropriate for a 
member of the alliance to act as we did."  Addressing the 
issue of extradition of nationals,  Nemec explained that this 
is a politically sensitive point.  He argued that the 
prevailing interpretation of the constitution, at least among 
the lawmakers he knows, is that the Czech constitution does 
not allow it. 
 
6. (SBU) Finally, on the touchy subject of US visas for Czech 
citizens,  the AG said the US Government sees the Czech 
Republic as a nation of growing economic prosperity and 
international influence.  He said he knows President Bush 
favors easy access for legitimate travelers, especially those 
from friendly nations, and pointed out that a bilateral 
working group is trying to improve the application procedure 
for Czechs wanting to travel to the US.  Nemec responded by 
asking the US to reconsider its visa policy.  He said this is 
a "very sensitive problem," and explained that while, on the 
one hand, the US and the Czech Republic have great relations, 
on the other hand, Czechs feel discriminated against since 
citizens of many other EU states don't need visas to visit 
the US.  The AG promised to "communicate your concerns" to 
the Secretary of State in a meeting the following week. 
 
7. (U) Participants: 
 
U.S. 
Attorney General Ashcroft 
Ambassador William Cabaniss 
Bruce Swartz, Deputy AG 
David Ayres, Chief of Staff, AG 
Mark Corallo, DOJ Public Affairs Director 
David Israelite, Deputy Chief of Staff, AG 
Jeffrey Taylor, Counselor to AG 
 
Czech Ministry of Interior 
Minister Frantisek Bublan 
Jaroslav Machane, Deputy Police President for Criminal Law 
Michal Mazel, Director, Security Policy Department 
Blanka Rybonova, Director, Section for Intl. Cooperation and 
EU Integration 
Olga Dvorakova, Section for Intl. Cooperation and EU 
Integration 
Czech Ministry of Justice 
Minister Pavel Nemec 
Vladimir Kral,  Deputy Minister 
Roman Polasek, Deputy Minister 
Jindrich Babicky, Director, International Department 
Petr Dimun, Press Spokesperson 
 
CABANISS