US embassy cable - 05PRAGUE832

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRAGUE 000832 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, PREL, EZ, CU, BO, IZ 
SUBJECT: CZECH MFA FOCUSES "LESSONS LEARNED" ASSISTANCE ON 
CUBA AND BELARUS 
 
REF: PRAGUE 814 
 
1.  Summary:  The Czech MFA office designed to promote 
democratic transformations based on Czech experience is now 
in its first year of operation.  Priority areas for activity 
are Belarus and Cuba, with the office supporting other MFA 
assistance in Iraq; future targets are Ukraine, Moldova, 
Serbia and Burma.  Working largely through NGOs, the office 
aims to support development of the civil society through 
written materials, visits to the CR, seminars, and direct 
support to local NGOs.  The Czechs are planning to begin 
coordination of assistance with V4 partners, and welcome 
cooperation with other institutions, including from the U.S. 
 
2.  The Czech MFA's Office of Transformation Cooperation came 
into existence last year.  Headed by Gabriela Dlouha and 
under the patronage of Deputy Foreign Minister (and future 
Ambassador to the United States) Petr Kolar -- both veterans 
of former President Vaclav Havel's staff -- the office aims 
to add a new element to Czech diplomacy, funding NGOs and 
direct efforts to promote democratic transformations based on 
lessons learned in the Czech Republic.  The office has a 
modest budget of 14 million crowns (USD 600,000) for 2005, 
and expects this to increase to 20 million crowns next year. 
While some projects the office handles (mainly those funded 
by other sources) have specific budgets, Dlouha does not 
currently have a country-specific breakdown of activity to 
date (below). 
 
3.  The office works closely with Czech NGOs, particularly 
People in Need, and with select NGOs in target countries. 
According to Dlouha, her office coordinates with the MFA's 
Office of Development Assistance, as well as the Human Rights 
Office and the country desks.  But Dlouha notes that unlike 
development assistance, which the MFA coordinates with the 
formal input of ten other Czech ministries, her office's 
assistance comes under the exclusive purview of the MFA. 
(Note:  septel will discuss Czech government plans to meet 
new EU targets for development assistance.) 
 
4. During a discussion on May 26, Dlouha discussed the 
priorities and current and future activities of the office. 
 
Belarus 
------- 
With Presidential elections due next year, Dlouha described 
Belarus as her top priority.  Activity to date focuses on 
bringing young Belarusians to the CR for exposure and 
training, offering support to local NGOs, and translating 
material (see below).  On the former, the office is currently 
offering seminars in the CR for young people (with People in 
Need), and planning a "summer school for young scientists" 
which will take place in cooperation with a French group.  In 
terms of local NGOs, Dlouha said none have yet been selected 
for cooperation.  Dlouha described the experience to date as 
good, with selected participants having no trouble traveling 
to Prague, although she fears a backlash at some point. 
 
Cuba 
---- 
Support for the dissident movement on the island is a leading 
MFA priority (reftel and septel).  Projects funded by 
Dlouha's office to date include an (unspecified) effort to 
support the International Committee for Democracy in Cuba, 
supporting an upcoming University of Miami/Institute of Cuban 
Studies seminar on "the transformation process and lessons 
learned," translating short thematic studies/essays on the 
lessons learned from the Czech transformation (these are 
being commissioned by the MFA and will also be translated 
into Belorusian and possibly other languages; they will be 
distributed primarily through Czech embassies), and making 
other (unspecified) contributions to a network of independent 
libraries.  Another possible area for support is a study in 
Cuba and the CR on the "psychological aspects of 
transformation."  Dlouha noted that her office's activities 
in Cuba are complemented by work done through People in Need 
and the independent efforts of Vaclav Havel and others.  As 
an aside, Dlouha said that the Club of Madrid, bringing 
together former statesman to discuss Cuban developments, was 
likely to meet in Prague in November (Prague was the site of 
an ICDC meeting last September). 
 
Iraq 
---- 
Dlouha's office is coordinating a GOCR-funded program (with 
40 million crown budget for 2005-06, which comes from a 
separate account for Iraqi assistance), together with People 
in Need, to train Iraqi NGOs in both Jordan and Iraq.  As 
part of this effort the MFA is translating into Arabic and 
English a Czech "workbook" on NGO management.  The MFA is 
also funding training of Iraqi judges at the Prague-based 
CEELI Institute.  And they are cooperating with the Charles 
University economic institute CERGE-EI on internships for 
Czech (and Afghan) students, at a budget of 56 million crowns 
for 2005-09 (also funded from outside her office). 
 
Future targets:  Ukraine, Serbia, Moldova, Burma 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
Dlouha's young office has limited its early activity, but 
planning is underway for projects in other countries.  In 
Ukraine the office is considering a project on transformation 
of the security services (together with the Prague Security 
Studies Institute).  The office wants to support other MFA 
priorities, in which the Balkans figure prominently:  Dlouha 
is investigating a program to support military reform and 
NATO integration in Serbia.  Moldova is another MFA priority, 
and the Czechs will open an embassy there this summer.  In 
coordination with the EU action plan for Moldova, Dlouha is 
looking for local NGOs with which she can cooperate on a 
suitable project.  Finally, Dlouha hopes to launch some 
activity in Burma, but has nothing on the immediate horizon. 
 
V4 coordination and other international cooperation 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
Dlouha acknowledged there is a great deal of common ground 
with other governments/NGOs in the region.  She is hosting in 
Prague in early June the first meeting of Visegrad 4 partners 
(CR, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary) devoted solely to the issue 
of transformation assistance.  Dlouha said she has discussed 
possible cooperation with the German Marshall Fund, and is 
ready to cooperate with other partners. 
HILLAS