US embassy cable - 05PRAGUE699

S E C R E T PRAGUE 000699 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2015 
TAGS: PINR, PREL, EZ 
SUBJECT: CZECH PARLIAMENT MAY INVESTIGATE ALLEGED RENDERING 
FLIGHTS THROUGH CZECH REPUBLIC 
 
 
Classified By: DCM Kenneth Hillas for Reasons 1.4 B+D 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  Czech press in past week has picked up the 
story from the "New York Times" and other American press 
about CIA rendering flights that have allegedly transited the 
Czech Republic.  Opposition politicians plan to call for a 
Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee hearing to discuss 
the flights and what knowledge Czech authorities had about 
them.  End summary. 
 
2. (SBU) Beginning May 5, Czech dailies, citing information 
published in the "New York Times," reported that at least one 
CIA-operated flight rendering terrorism suspects to 
Uzbekistan landed in the Czech Republic.  Czech aviation 
officials subsequently confirmed that a flight bound for 
Tashkent departed an airport in the Czech Republic on 21 
September 2003.  Other reports quote airport workers who 
state that the Boeing jet in question has been seen at least 
twice at Prague's Ruzyne airport. 
 
3. (U) Czech officials have stated that they have no 
knowledge of any such flights.  Interior Minister Frantisek 
Bublan stated on May 8 that he "inquired whether the Czech 
Republic is involved and I know that we are not."  He added 
that during the 2003 flight in question no passengers entered 
or left the plane, and therefore Czech authorities had no 
requirement to seek information about the passengers. 
 
4. (U) Opposition politicians and left-leaning critics within 
the ruling Social Democratic Party have said that they intend 
to hold Parliamentary hearings on the flights.  Foreign 
Relations Committee Chairman Vladimir Lastuvka and Vice Chair 
Jan Kavan (Social Democratic Party) said they intend to seek 
formal answers from the Foreign Affairs and Defense 
Ministers, as well as heads of the Czech intelligence 
services, about the flights.  Committee Vice Chairman Vaclav 
Exner (Communist Party) has said deputies may use the general 
question time to also seek more information from the 
government. 
 
5. (S) Czech intelligence agency officials have said they are 
not interested in pursuing the matter and view opposition 
calls for hearings as "pure politics."  They have voiced no 
complaints about the matter. 
 
6. (C) Other than discussions with intelligence services, 
post has not received any formal inquiries from the GOCR 
about the case.  In response to the few press inquiries we 
received, Embassy has stated that we are not in a position to 
comment on these reports.  However, it is possible that 
parliamentary hearings could prompt could prompt a direct 
approach from the Foreign Affairs Committee or the Government 
itself.  It is also possible that Prime Minister Paroubek 
will raise the issue during Ambassador's initial call on him, 
likely to take place in the week following the May 13 vote of 
confidence. 
 
7. (C) For now, this issue does not appear to have the 
potential to significantly impact U.S.-Czech relations.  The 
Embassy will, therefore, continue to use the same response 
for inquiries from the Czech Government as has been used with 
the media, unless otherwise instructed. 
HILLAS