US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT747

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 000747 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/2013 
TAGS: MARR, PREL, US, IZ, CZ 
SUBJECT: CZECH AMBASSADOR "OFFERS" FIELD HOSPITAL 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones, reasons 1.5 b and d. 
 
1. (C) In a conversation on the evening of February 27 Czech 
Ambassador Jana Hybashkova (please protect) told the 
Ambassador that her country had a field hospital that it was 
prepared to deploy to the AOR for possible duty in Iraq upon 
US request.  She said that all the internal political 
approvals had already been obtained (as a byproduct of 
obtaining the approvals for the Czech contribution to the 
CJTF-CM).  The only reason her government had not yet come 
forward to offer the hospital was financial.  Recent 
increases in its contribution to the CJTF-CM and an upcoming 
contribution of SOF forces for Afghanistan have depleted the 
Czech military's discretionary financial resources 
completely.  Hybashkova doubted that they could even pay for 
transport.  However, if the US requested the hospital and was 
prepared to help with transport/expenses, she was sure the 
hospital would be made available.  She added that the 150-bed 
unit could handle 500-600 casualties per day.  It had seen 
action in Kosovo and Afghanistan already; the members of its 
staff were proven performers. 
 
2. (C) Comment:  We have shared the above information with 
CFLCC and been advised that it is interested in this 
prospective offer.  CENTCOM and/or Embassy Prague may wish to 
pursue the matter with Czech authorities as appropriate. 
JONES