US embassy cable - 05PRAGUE126

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAGUE 000126 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2015 
TAGS: MOPS, PREL, EZ, IZ 
SUBJECT: CZECH REQUEST FOR USG TRANSPORT OF ARMORED 
VEHICLES TO BAGHDAD 
 
 
Classified By: Political-Economic Counselor Michael Dodman for reason 1 
.4 b+d 
 
1. (U) Action request in para 5. 
 
2. (C) Summary:  The Czech government requests USG assistance 
in transporting two armored vehicles to Baghdad.  The 
vehicles will be used by protective forces guarding the Czech 
ambassador and other Czech diplomats in Baghdad.  The Czechs 
are prepared to cover some of the cost. 
 
3. (C) The Czech government request was made initially on 
December 14 when Minister of Interior Frantisek Bublan raised 
the issue with visiting Attorney General Ashcroft. 
Representatives of the Czech MFA and Interior Ministry asked 
to meet with Polec Counselor Jan 26 to provide additional 
details.  Miroslav Kosek of the MFA's Security Department and 
Colonel Libor Lochman, Director of the Czech Police's Rapid 
Response Unit, provided the following information: 
 
-- The Czech embassy in Baghdad currently operates with an 
Ambassador (Martin Klepetko), three diplomats, several 
support staff, and 11 guards from the Rapid Response Unit 
(URNA). 
 
-- The embassy currently has three armored vehicles:  two 
have "level 4" armor and one has "level 6" armor.  The GOCR 
believes that in the current security environment the lesser 
armored vehicles are not sufficient.  They propose to swap 
two new Toyota Land Cruisers fitted with level 6 armor for 
the two level 4 vehicles. 
 
-- There was a second level 6 armored vehicle in Baghdad. 
This was attacked on September 1, 2004, on the street close 
to the Czech embassy.  Thirty bullets hit the vehicle.  The 
ambassador was not in the vehicle at the time.  The two URNA 
guards in the vehicle survived, but the GOCR is certain that 
they would not have survived had they been in a vehicle with 
level 4 armor.  That vehicle has since been returned to 
Prague for refurbishment. 
 
-- The Czechs do not have the equipment to fly the vehicles 
to Baghdad themselves.  The alternative to airlift, according 
to the GOCR, is overland travel from Amman.  GOCR officials 
have rejected this given security risks:  they referenced a 
recent attack on German guards bringing in vehicles along 
this route that resulted in the death of two guards. 
 
-- Col Lochman said he had heard from his Portuguese 
counterpart that they were able to get new vehicles to 
Baghdad for their embassy on a U.S. military cargo flight 
that originated in Spain.  They request a similar 
arrangement:  the Czechs are prepared to get their vehicles 
to Germany or another departure point and seek a lift into 
Baghdad on a U.S. flight.  According to Mr. Kosek, the GOCR 
hopes this transported could be provided to the Czechs, as a 
coalition partner, at no charge.  But the GOCR is prepared to 
discuss reimbursement, if required.  Finally, the GOCR would 
also like to discuss the possibility of their two level 4 
armored vehicles returning to Europe on a U.S. aircraft. 
 
4. (C) Comment:  The Czechs have just extended the deployment 
of their 98-man military police unit in southern Iraq through 
the end of 2005 (septel follows on today's Senate approval); 
they also have a ten-man Army surgical team in Iraq through 
2005.  The government and Czech NGOs are carrying out 
numerous projects to support civil society:  training police 
and judges, helping to protect cultural heritage, and funding 
educational material in advance of the election on democracy 
and tolerance.  They are a committed, albeit relatively 
small, member of the coalition.  The September 2004 attack on 
the Czech Ambassador's car has understandably heightened 
their concern about security in Baghdad, but they have kept 
their embassy functioning and adequately staffed.  Their 
embassy facilitates much of the Czech assistance in Iraq, and 
serves as a symbol of continued Czech commitment to the Iraqi 
people.  We encourage Washington agencies to give the Czech 
request full and favorable consideration. 
 
5. (U) Action request:  Embassy requests USG response to GOCR 
request, or designated point-of-contact with whom Czechs can 
discuss further details. 
CABANISS