CZECH the NewsNews Newsletter of the Embassy of the Czech Republic of the Czech Republic Spring 2005 In this issue: President Klaus Received at the White House n March 8, George W. marked the meeting as very President Vaclav Klaus Received at the White House.......1 Bush received Czech friendly: “I think that relations OPresident Vaclav Klaus between the Czech Republic Former President Havel Spends in the Oval Office of the White and the United States are very, Two Months in the US..................1 House. It has been the first very positive, and this meeting Message from the bilateral meeting with Bush was just a confirmation of that,” Ambassador................................2 since Klaus assumed the presi- said President Klaus. dential post in March 2003. While in the US, President Robert Zoellick Visits Prague.........2 The meeting was announced Klaus also presented his new Jiri Paroubek to Become the New less than twenty four hours book, entitled “On the Road to Prime Minister..............................2 ahead, during Klaus’s visit to Democracy: The Czech Re- the US, where he was presenting public from Communism to Commission for Human Rights his book “Road to Democracy” Free Society.” This book con- Keeps the Pressure on Cuba.........3 on the development in the Czech President Klaus meets President Bush centrates on the impact of the Vaclav Havel Speaks Out on Republic since the collapse of at the White House Czech Republic´s free-market Democracy Issues, Rallies for the communist regime in 1989. mainly on the Middle East, reforms and examines lessons Cuban Dissidents.........................3 Diplomats and politicians in the Lebanon, the situation in Europe learned during the transition to News Brief...................................3 Czech Republic appraised the and in the Czech Republic. democracy. The book, pub- quick arrangements of the top George Bush was keen to lished by NCPA (National Newly Appointed Officers: meeting, since such a process hear that the Czech Republic Center for Policy Analysis) was American Friends of the Czech usually takes up to several was not planning to change its officially released by Vaclav Republic......................................4 months. policy and withdraw its troops Klaus and NCPA President John Getting to Market...Chicago The presidents discussed and would continue to train Iraqi Goodman in Dallas, TX on Chapter of North American major political issues focusing police officers. Vaclav Klaus March 7, 2005. Chamber of Commerce...............5 CSA, Airbus Agree on Contract for New Planes Purchase...................5 Former President Havel Czechs Help Southeast Asia..........5 Spends Two Months SVU Establishes a Special Studies Fund...........................................6 in the US Medek’s 80th Birthday.................6 aclav Havel arrived in among others. the United States at Vaclav Havel is 2005 MFA Grants.......................7 Vthe end of March and is also supposed to Business Buzz...............................8 going to stay for about two visit the Inter- months on a stipend granted by national Campaign SVU Extravaganza in Florida.........8 the Library of Congress in for Tibet in Former President Vaclav Havel in the Anniversary Celebrations..............9 Washington, D.C. He is accom- Washington, D.C. Library of Congress panied by his wife Dagmar, who and the Festival of Special Exhibition in PA...............9 is planning to use the time in the International Literature in New orary degree in May. US to improve her English. York in the middle of April. In Asked about how he enjoys Partnership Foundation and Prague-Vienna Greenways..........10 The former president in- Washington, he will also attend being in the US so far, Vaclav tends to spend most of the time a performance by the legendary Havel said, “It seems to me that Upcoming Cultural Events..........11 in Washington, D.C. and to meet Czech underground band, The life over here is not as hurried with several of his friends Plastic People of the Universe, and nervous as at home. And it Dear Friends of Czech Cuisine....11 including current U.S. President who were a symbol of resistance also seems to me that people Sokol Summer Camp.................11 George W. Bush, former U.S. to Czechoslovakia’s Communist here actually like to talk about Secretary of State and Czech regime during the 1970s and politics. Back home, people just Sokol Detroit Czech and Slovak native Madeleine Albright, for- 1980s. complain about it. I enjoy being Festival.....................................11 mer U.S. President Bill Clinton Bard College in New York here and living here, but I feel as Prague-Vienna Greenways: and his wife, Senator Hillary will take the opportunity of the if I do not have enough time; I Lubomir and Tiree Chmelar........12 Clinton, and Milos Forman, former president’s visit to the would need to spend more time famous Czech movie director, US and award Havel an hon- here.” Czech the News/Spring 2005 1 Ambassador Message from the Ambassador ear Friends, Library of Congress stipend to Foreign Minister Svoboda, The onset of the spring study, meditate, and spend a however, remains in his post. Dseason has brought quiet time in Georgetown. Last, but not least, I have to important events to the Vaclav Havel, the first President share with you one diplomatic Washington, D.C. area. First of of the free and democratic issue which recently made me all, on March 8, President Czech Republic, is planning to proud of our achievements in Vaclav Klaus arrived in the stay in Washington until late the field of human rights. The USA and was received by May. You can find more infor- Commission on Human Rights President George W. Bush. mation on his visit within our in Geneva has recently voted in Their friendly meeting confirms newsletter, as well. favor of a resolution condemn- the excellent level of Czech- Back at home, in Prague, a ing the abuse of fundamental American relations. Details of prolonged and turbulent politi- freedoms by the Castro regime much as anyone else on this the Presidential visit are avail- cal crisis prompted a resignation in Cuba. I hope that such victo- Earth. able for your reading enjoyment of the Cabinet, finally resulting ry on an esteemed international Sincerely yours, on the front page. in the replacement of Prime forum will constitute another Another President, this time Minister Gross by Jiri Paroubek. step to arrival of democracy on a former Head of State, arrived There were also minor changes the “Island of Freedom,” whose at the beginning of April on a in other ministerial positions. citizens deserve their rights as Robert Zoellick Visits Prague Deputy Secretary of State Discusses Iraq, Visa Waiver Program .S. Deputy Secretary of the presence of our military September 11, 2001, there were State Robert Zoellick, police, but also with our pres- a number of restrictions and lim- Uon his visit to 14 ence in the NATO Training itations on visas that have been European capitals in late March Mission in Baghdad; it is neces- frustrating to many people and early April, made a stop in sary to continue our participa- around the world, including the Prague for a meeting with tion in other missions as a solid Czech Republic. As Zoellick has President Vaclav Klaus, Prime part of NATO and therefore also pointed out, Secretary Rice had Minister Stanislav Gross and in partnership with the United already started to take action on Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda States.” some of these issues. The United The Foreign Minister assured According to Minister States and the Czech Republic Zoellick that the Czech foreign Svoboda, the only pending issue have set up a consular working policy regarding Iraq would not in U.S.-Czech relations con- group to help the Czech U.S. Deputy Secretary of State change. Minister Svoboda said: cerns the changes in the Visa Republic meet the statutory Robert Zoellick meets with “I am deeply convinced that it is Waiver Program. Zoellick requirements that have been President Vaclav Klaus on his visit necessary to keep not only with explained that because of implemented. to the Czech Republic Jiri Paroubek to Become the New Czech Prime Minister A turbulent political crisis over the Czech Prime Minister Stanislav Gross’s personal financial affairs sparked many doubts about the future of the Czech government. After considering various the leadership of each party, financial consultancy focused on options, early elections includ- opened the way for Gross to step small and medium-sized busi- ed, the crisis finally seems to be down and make way for the nesses. Paroubek was elected to over and a solution has been new government led by Jiri the office of Deputy Mayor of found. The three major parties, Paroubek, who until now served Prague for Finance for the time CSSD, KDU-CSL and US-DEU as Minister for Regional period of 1998-2004, where he agreed to re-form the coalition Development. contributed to the change of the and produce a new cabinet. This The new Prime Minister city’s financial policy and to the should assure an effective gov- graduated from the Prague increase of finances for large New Prime Minister ernment until the end of the elec- School of Economics. He investments in Prague. of the Czech Republic tion period in the summer of worked as an economist in man- Jiri Paroubek 2006. The agreement, ratified by agerial positions and provided 2 Czech the News/Spring 2005 Current Events Commission for Human Rights News Brief Keeps the Pressure on Cuba Havel sharply he Commission for Human Rights in Geneva, the top human rights UN body, approved, as in the criticizes EU for past several years, the resolution condemning Cuba for violating human rights. The text of the approach to Castro Tresolution calls for keeping the pressure on Cuba and for the renewal of the mandate of a special investigator into alleged abuses .