C O N F I D E N T I A L PRAGUE 000535 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: 
DECL: 08/11/2018 TAGS: NATO, PARM, KCFE, EUN, RU, GG, EZ SUBJECT: 
TFGGO1: CZECHS ENGAGED ON SITUATION IN SOUTH OSSETIA REF: A. STATE 85678
B. PRAGUE DAILY 08.11.2008 Classified By: Acting POLEC Counselor 
Martina Strong for reasons 1.5 (b ) and (d). 

1. (SBU) Summary: Emboffs 
discussed the upcoming August 12 NAC with Czech MFA Director of Security
Policy, Veronika Kuchynova-Smigolova, who noted that the Czechs share a
similar perspective to the USG and offered her assurance that they want
to coordinate closely with us. As noted in Ref B., Czech Foreign 
Minister Karel Schwarzenberg feels strongly that a tough message needs 
to be conveyed to Russia, and he has been reaching out to his colleagues
to advance this cause. The Czech FM is planning to travel to Brussels 
August 12 so that the EU Foreign Minister Troika (French FM Kouchner, 
Swedish FM Bildt and Czech FM Schwarzenberg) can meet tomorrow evening, 
in advance of the Emergency GAERC August 13. End Summary.

---------- Schwarzenberg Advocating a Strong Message to Russia ---------- 

2. (C) 
Czech Foreign Minister Schwarzenberg, who was on leave last week, 
returned early because of the worsening situation in Georgia. With his 
return, the MFA has released daily statements since August 8, appealing 
to both parties to stop military operations, conclude a cease-fire, and 
start negotiations. Schwarzenberg has spoken recently with both FM 
Kouchner and Georgian FM Tkeshelashvili (who reportedly will remain in 
Brussels through the EU GAERC meeting). He has also spoken with German 
FM Steinmeyer, who reportedly "was shaken" by Russian actions. FM 
Schwarzenberg plans to press hard at the EU FM Troika discussion August 
12 for the strongest possible language. According to the MFA, contact 
from the USG with France, Italy (particularly given PM Berlusconi's 
close ties to Russia) and Germany would be helpful as the EU works to 
form a consensus.

---------- Czech Message at NAC and GAERC ---------- 

3. (C) The Czechs plan to press for language out of the NAC calling for 
an international peacekeeping force. According to Kuchynova-Smigolova, 
the Czechs would prefer a NATO-led peacekeeping force, but thought it 
was unlikely that all EU NATO members would support such a force. The 
next logical alternative, from the Czech perspective, would be a force 
led by the EU or, as they would prefer, "EU plus friends." The Czechs 
also plan to press for references to Russian "occupation forces" in 
Georgia. While they would like a strong message out of the NAC, they 
also want to achieve a strong message at the Emergency GAERC scheduled 
for Wednesday, August 13 at 10:00am. Kuchynova-Smigolova was candid in 
her assessment regarding building consensus to condemn Russia. The 
Czechs feel that action through the UN is "impossible," while they are 
not optimistic that they will get as strong a message as they would like
out of NATO; they appear slightly more optimistic that at the EU GAERC 
they will be able to achieve more.

Thompson-Jones