US embassy cable - 05PRAGUE1247

C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAGUE 001247 
 
SIPDIS 
 
EUR/NCE FOR FICHTE, PM/RSAT FOR BOCKLAGE, EUR/RPM FOR 
BAIRD, ANDERSON, AND PLUNKETT 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/24/2015 
TAGS: EZ, MOPS, PREL, PGOV, AF, IZ, YI, BK 
SUBJECT: CZECH CABINET APPROVES 2006 FOREIGN DEPLOYMENTS 
 
 
Classified By: Political-Military Officer Brian Greaney 
for reasons 1.4 (b) (d) 
 
1) (C) Summary: The Czech Cabinet on Aug 24 formally approved 
and sent to Parliament plans for foreign deployments in 2006. 
All major missions, including in Iraq, are to continue at 
similar strength. The plans must still be approved by 
Parliament, but national security policymakers do not foresee 
significant difficulties. In order to avoid political 
problems, news the Czechs will redeploy special forces to 
Afghanistan should not be discussed outside the USG until 
Minister of Defense Karel Kuehnl announces it personally in 
Washington October 27. End summary. 
 
2) (C) Deputy Minister of Defense for Policy Martin Belcik 
informed the Charge August 25 that the cabinet has approved 
Czech foreign deployment plans for 2006. Belcik said the 
central pillar of the plan is continuity in the Balkans, 
Iraq, and Afghanistan. In 2006 Czech forces will remain 
deployed as part of KFOR and ALTHEA. He had no doubt the 
current deployment of 100 military police trainers would 
remain in Iraq and predicted a force level of 150 in 
Afghanistan. In response to the Charge's question on possible 
obstacles to Parliamentary approval, Belcik said while it 
would be preferable to have the Czech personnel in Iraq under 
NTM-I, he did not believe the current arrangement would 
endanger the planned extension (Note: The draft bill repeats 
the language used in the Jan 05 bill on Iraq deployment, 
namely the Czech trainers will eventually move under the 
NTM-I umbrella). 
 
3) (C) In a separate meeting with the Charge, National 
Security Advisor (equivalent) Miroslav Kostelka also 
predicted parliamentary approval of the deployment package, 
but noted that there are opponents among the ruling Social 
Democrats, which could lead to a heated debate in Parliament. 
He warned that Minister of Defense Kuehnl placed great 
importance in personally announcing the future redeployment 
of Czech Special Forces to Afghanistan. This is a planned 
deliverable for Minister Kuehnl's October 27 meeting with 
SECDEF Rumsfeld in Washington. Early leaks of the information 
could impact the likely deployment of the unit. 
 
4) (C) Defense Minister Karel Kuehnl, announcing the 
cabinet's approval of the 2006 plan to the press, said the 
number of Czech troops serving in KFOR will rise by 100. The 
20-member helicopter unit in Bosnia would return home as 
expected (Note: We know from another MOD source that the 
Czechs will supplement their contingent by 20 personnel to 
compensate for this loss). Full details of the bill will be 
reported septel. 
 
5) (C) Comment: National Security Advisor Kostelka left us 
with the distinct impression that a highly visible U.S. 
position on the 2006 deployment plan might be 
counterproductive. We have heard this view previously, and 
from our perspective, the Czech government appears to be 
willing and on course to achieve its aims without a visible 
push from Uncle Sam. We take seriously Kostelka's warning 
about MOD Kuehnl's wish to announce the new Afghanistan 
deployment during his visit to Washington. We recommend 
keeping this information within the USG until Kuehnl tells 
the world. End comment. 
MUNTER