Bilateral Relations with the United States

Bilateral Relations with the United States

Czech-US Relations

In 1993 the Czech Republic was invited to join the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC). While most Western European countries were lukewarm to NATO and EU enlargement, the USA supported and pushed the initiative.³⁵ Czechoslovakia joined the International Military Education and Training program, a US security assistance program which provides training to individuals from allied or friendly nations. The aim of the program is to support the democratization process in post-Communist militaries. It included high level participation such as former chief of general staff Jiří Šedivý, his deputy; chief of the air force and commander of land forces.³⁶ In 1992, the US European Command’s Joint Contact Team Program (JCTP) was established to aid former communist countries in developing democratic defense planning, military justice systems and civil-military cooperation. From 1995-1997 the main focus of JCTP was to prepare the Czech army for deeper involvement with NATO. ³⁷ In 1993, the USA began subsidizing English language training in order to prepare Czech army officials for staff positions in NATO.³⁸ It was the US Minister of Defense Les Aspin who reacted to the request of the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary, for NATO to provide a bilateral forum for dialogue instead of the multilateral NACC forum.³⁹ This resulted in the establishment of the Partnership for Peace (PfP) program. In 1994, Prague received an official visit by US President Bill Clinton for the purpose of negotiating the integration of the three Central European countries into the PfP program and he offered at least a political alliance.⁴⁰ The Czech government began to contribute to NATO operations and shared trainings. In 1995-1996, in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia, the Czech Republic participated in the first joint Czech-NATO operation called Implementation Force (IFOR). The country continued to actively contribute to NATO operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina through the Stabilization Force (SFOR I and SFOR II) until 2001.⁴¹ At the Madrid Summit in 1997, NATO invited the Czech Republic to begin accession talks. In 1999, the Czech Republic had attained one of its major foreign policy goals; it had provided a basic security structure for its nation and become an ally of the United States. The USA had shown itself to be especially important in assisting Czech armed forces and the Ministry of Defense in transforming their military in order to fulfill NATO requirements and practices.⁴²

From 1998 to 2006, while ČSSD led the governing coalitions, the main issues in the Czech-US relationship were the Kosovo crisis, 9/11 terrorist attack and the subsequent US-led war on terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq. Although the decision to participate in the Kosovo operation was controversial, the Czech government officially supported the air strikes and allowed NATO access to Czech air space and transit rights, supplied a field hospital and unarmed aircraft to Kosovo. The Czech Republic helped to stabilize Kosovo as part of the operation Kosovo Force (KFOR) and sent a reconnaissance company consisting 126 soldiers. Between 1998 and 2002, 980 Czech soldiers had participated in the mission⁴³ and the Czech Republic has continued to maintain a military presence in the region.

The second important event was the 9/11 terrorist attack and the successive US-led coalition action in Afghanistan and Iraq. Although the US government did not ask for Czech assistance in the military operation in Afghanistan, the USA requested that the Czech army continue its operations in Bosnia under SFOR, allow US over-flights and increase security at US and NATO buildings.⁴⁴ The Czech Republic responded to the needs of the USA. European allies sent five scout planes to the USA, one of which was supplied by the Czech Republic.⁴⁵ The Czech Republic also responded by sending a contingent specialized in chemical warfare to Kuwait under the operation “Enduring Freedom.”⁴⁶ In 2002, the Czech Republic as part of the NATO operation International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) dispatched two field hospitals to Afghanistan.⁴⁷ Since then, the Czech government has supported US-led efforts in Afghanistan by maintaining a military presence in the region.

The Iraqi crisis in 2003 was a controversial issue and the conflict that developed out of the difference of opinions among the Czech political elite as well as with EU Member States can be considered one of the biggest foreign policy challenges the Czech Republic faced during the 1998-2006 period in which ČSSD led the government. Although the government provided some assistance to the USA in Iraq, strong opposition was apparent in the government’s support of the American operation. The Czech Republic did not participate directly in the military intervention as there was no UN mandate for the attack. The coalition government reacted to a request by the USA and passed a resolution in 2003 which enlarged the chemical contingent in Kuwait to 395 soldiers.⁴⁸ Later under the operation Iraqi Freedom 7, a field hospital was dispatched to Iraq followed by a military police contingent.⁴⁹

Not only has the Czech Republic cooperated with the USA militarily but there has been significant American investment in the country. From the beginning of the 1990s, the USA is a key investor in the Czech Republic and considered a significant trade partner.⁵⁰ In 1989, Proctor and Gamble bought the factory Rakona. Other key investors in the country were Boeing and Philips Morris.⁵¹ By 2000-2001, Czech export to the USA had reached over one billion USD.⁵² In 2004, US investment had reached 3.2 billion USD and it was fifth largest investor in the Czech Republic following Germany, Netherlands, Austria and France.⁵³

The main issues in the bilateral relations between the Czech Republic and the United States during the ODS led coalition government elected in 2006 were the proposed US radar base in the Czech Republic and removing the visa restriction on Czechs traveling to the USA. Shortly after ODS formed a coalition government in January 2007, the United States sent a non-paper which stated its interest in placing a radar system in the Czech Republic.⁵⁴ A team comprised of representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense was put together and it agreed to begin negotiations with the USA. By the end of April, the US government had sent two proposals of the agreement to the Czech Republic: Smlouvy o protiraketove obrane and Status of Forces Agreement (NATO SOFA). The first contract concerns the political and technical questions surrounding the radar base while the second contract supplements the multilateral NATO agreement relating to the status of military forces in the Czech Republic.⁵⁵ As a results, contacts between both countries increased as US-Czech government negotiations took place. President Klaus visited the USA in March 2007 to discuss the radar base and met with Vice-President Dick Cheney among others.⁵⁶ President George Bush visited Prague in June 2007. The only incident to occur during the negotiation process was the US suggestion to Russia of the possibility of allowing Russian observers at the radar base. This was suggested without consulting the Czech government and although it did not negatively affect negotiations, Foreign Minister Karl Schwarzenberg admitted to being unpleasantly surprised.⁵⁷

The visa waiver program was another important step in Czech-US relations during the year 2007. In 1990, the Czech Republic abolished visa requirements for citizens of the USA, however visa requirements for Czechs entering the US remained. Visa inequality was a thorn in the bilateral relations for the Czech Republic and had been an issue for several years. In 2006 George Bush publicly announced his support for the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). For Czech citizens, inclusion into the VWP would mean circumventing a consular interview as well as the 100 USD fee for visa applicants. In 2006, conditions concerning visa requirements relaxed for students and businesspeople who were members of the Czech-American Chamber of Commerce.⁵⁸ Czech Foreign Minister Alexandr Vondra proposed a ‘Coalition for Visa Equality’ consisting of ‘Visegrad 4 plus 3’ in September 2006.⁵⁹ In 2008, the visa requirement for Czechs travelling to the USA was lifted although Czechs are obliged to submit information to the US government online and possess a biometric passport. Prime Minister Topolánek and the US Secretary of Homeland Michael Chertoff agreed that this abolishment of visa inequality between the two countries marked a historic moment in the relations of the Czech Republic and the United States.⁶⁰

Overall, bilateral relations between the Czech Republic and the USA were close during the period after the separation from Slovakia. The USA encouraged the Czech Republic’s bid for NATO membership and in turn, the Czech Republic provided support during various NATO and US-led operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq. The close relationship developed on a political and economical level and is demonstrated by the close ties between the two presidents of both countries during the 1990s, and the significant US investment in region.