Cablegate: Czech Response On Burma Demarche

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RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHPG #0545 2281644
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 151644Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY PRAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0617
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS PRAGUE 000545

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

EAP/MLS LAURA SCHEIBE, PRM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV BM EZ EUN
SUBJECT: CZECH RESPONSE ON BURMA DEMARCHE

REF: STATE 83719

1. (SBU) Czech MFA Burma Desk officer, Hana Flanderova,
thanked us for our details on the additional U.S. sanctions
outlined in the JADE Act of 2008. She commented that the
Czech focus is currently on humanitarian assistance in the
wake of Cyclone Nargis. The MFA has already provided 10.6M
crowns (just over 700,000 USD), which is being distributed
through the International Red Cross, People in Need, Free
Burma Rangers and ADRA.

September Conference on Asian Pacific Security Challenges
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2. (SBU) By no means have the Czechs lost sight of the
repression of the Burmese regime. They share our perspective
on the value of enhancing sanctions. Within the EU, however,
they are not optimistic that much more will be done in the
short term, especially given the pressing nature of other
issues (such as Georgia) and the fact that Burma is not a
French EU Presidency priority. Nevertheless, the Czechs are
continuing to highlight the situation in Burma and on
September 8-10, the Czech MFA, in conjunction with the Prague
Security Studies Institute will host a conference on "Asian
Pacific Security Challenges." EU Special Envoy for Burma,
Piero Fassino, as well as Baroness Cox of the British House
of Lords have been invited.

Czech Resettlement of Burmese Refugees
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3. (SBU) Flanderova also noted that the Czechs, through the
Ministry of Interior, have worked with the UN High Commission
for Refugees and this fall, the Czech Republic will grant
asylum and resettle 30 Burmese (currently in Malaysia) to the
Czech Republic. Considering that the Czechs typically grant
asylum to 115 refugees in a year, this represents a
substantial commitment on the part of the Czechs.

Thompson-Jones

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