US embassy cable - 05PRAGUE66

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAGUE 000066 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2015 
TAGS: MARR, PREL, MOPS, EZ, IZ 
SUBJECT: DSACEUR LETTER ON NTM PAVES WAY FOR CZECH 
GOVERNMENT TO SEEK  PARLIAMENTARY MANDATE FOR CONTINUED 
CZECH DEPLOYMENT IN SOUTHERN IRAQ 
 
Classified By: Deputy Political Counselor Mark Canning for reasons 1.4 
(B/D) 
 
1. (C) According to President Klaus' office, the Czech 
government in its weekly 
cabinet session on January 12 decided to seek a parliamentary 
mandate for the 
continued deployment of the Czech company of MPs in southern 
Iraq.  The MOD 
was charged with preparing the draft for presentation to 
parliament, perhaps 
as early as the week of January 17 in a special parliamentary 
session.  The mandate 
will provide for the Czech unit to continue under MNF for 
now, but switch over 
to NTM when NTM Phase III starts later in the year.  We 
understand that the mandate 
is to provide for deployment until the end of February 2006. 
A DSACEUR letter 
that same day to FM Svoboda and MOD Kuehnl contained explicit 
assurances that the 
Czech contingent would be included under NTM when Phase III 
begins later this year, 
according to an informed Czech diplomat and the British 
Embassy, citing MOD 
sources. 
 
2. (C) MFA Deputy Director for Security Policy, Vaclav Balek, 
also told Poloff 
on January 12 that DSACEUR's letter, which Balek had read, 
indicated that the 
Czech military police now conducting training in Basra as 
part of the MNF, 
could continue the same mission in the same place as part of 
NATO's training 
mission in Iraq, once Phase III begins later this year.  Even 
though no specific 
date was given for the start of Phase III, the signal was 
sufficient for PM Gross' 
Government to take a decision to seek parliament's approval 
for a mandate 
extension. 
 
3. (C) Balek said that the government will argue that 
participation in the 
NATO mission is an important long-term national goal and that 
a temporary 
extension of the mission under MFN should not prevent them 
from achieving their 
goal.  The government will also argue that it will cost much 
more to 
temporarily close the mission in Basra and fly everyone home, 
only to fly them 
back some months later and reopen the mission.  Balek was 
optimistic that the 
extension would be passed under these conditions. 
 
4. (C) Comment:  The current mandate expires on February 28. 
Although there will 
be criticism from left-wing CSSD deputies that the Czech unit 
was not included 
from the start under NTM, which has UNSCR authorization, the 
prospects for 
parliamentary approval now look better than ever. 
HILLAS