On Tuesday, August 27, 2024, the President of the Republic Petr Pavel received the head of the Czech Republic’s embassies abroad at Prague Castle.
You can watch the video with parts of the President’s speech ( In Czech ) and of Mr. Jan Lipavsky – the minister for foreign affairs.
A translation of the president’s speech can be read here:
Honorable Minister, Honorable Ambassadors, Honorable Consuls General, Honorable Ambassadors, Honorable Consuls General, Ladies and Gentlemen, good afternoon to you all.
I used our first meeting last year mainly to present to you how I want to carry out my mandate in the field of foreign policy. I spoke about the need to restore unity, comprehensibility, and predictability to Czech foreign policy. Thanks to your work, I think we are doing quite well. I also talked about what we should stand for in the world above all. Namely, so that the rules do not cease to apply in the international environment so that the will of the stronger law does not prevail. There is no more important task in our country’s foreign and security policy today than the continued support of Ukraine. Stopping and, above all, the failure of Russian aggression is in our vital interest. Although any Russian success would of course be perceived as a victory, for us it would mean not only economic and political instability but also another significant wave of refugees.
I am very happy that the Czech Republic manages to maintain a unified, predictable, and understandable position on this key issue, and not only at the level of the highest constitutional officials, with whom I regularly meet to debate foreign policy. In June, at the Prague Castle, we also confirmed the agreement between the government and the largest opposition party that it is in our interest to continue to support Ukraine in all aspects and strive for such a peace that will be just and lasting. And I value this agreement with the opposition very much. The Czech Republic has shown that it takes its assistance to Ukraine seriously, and it has rightly received recognition for this. Our ammunition initiative helps defenders bridge the critical period. Czech reconstruction efforts are already helping the hard-hit Ukrainian healthcare and energy sector. We are often able to help in areas where others do not venture. And for that, everyone involved deserves thanks and recognition.
Russia’s aggression against Ukraine shows how non-confrontational relations with our neighbors are not self-evident and essential for the security of our country. I will therefore continue to make efforts to ensure that our neighbors know that the Czech Republic is their open and reliable partner. Regardless of changes of government, I want to ensure that contacts at the highest presidential level remain constructive and open. Our active membership in the European Union and the North Atlantic Alliance will continue to be a pillar of our country’s security. In the spring, here at Prague Castle, we commemorated important anniversaries, 25 years of membership in NATO and 20 years of membership in the European Union. Russian aggression has given NATO’s mission new urgency. The July summit of the Alliance, which I had the opportunity to attend in Washington, clearly confirmed that NATO not only remains militarily strong, but also becomes stronger politically and takes a more global approach. However, it should be remembered here that the basic principle of NATO’s existence is deterrence. And if deterrence is to be credible, it must also be effective. And deterrence will certainly not be represented by a table showing the two, three or even four percent that we spend on defense from GDP. Deterrence will be credible only when we have an effective, deployable and ready armed force, when we meet the specific construction goals that our republic and our allies have committed to as part of NATO defense planning. So not only reporting, but also specific demonstrable abilities.
Europe and the European Union remain a Havelian “task” in which we participate and whose shape we determine ourselves. Your role in clearly communicating our positions and defending our interests is irreplaceable here. I am convinced that Europe must build its international position better and more systematically. As a community built on values, we must become a more geopolitical and actionable Europe, able to assertively defend and pragmatically promote our interests. The shock of Russian aggression also added new dynamism to the European Union’s enlargement process. I consider it essential that we do not lose sight of this key interest. That is why last year I received the president of Ukraine and the president of Moldova and Georgia at the Prague Castle. I will also pay similar attention to the countries of the Western Balkans. At the end of this week, we will welcome four presidents from this region to the Globsec conference. I will also have bilateral negotiations with all of them.
But we must also look beyond the horizons of our European borders. Developments in areas that are often geographically far away affect us more significantly than ever before. This requires us to have a better global overview, to build closer relationships regardless of geographical distances. Therefore, with your help, I will continue to build alliances and solidarity with countries of similar values across all continents.
In the introduction, I mentioned one of my main goals, namely that the agreed rules do not cease to apply in the international environment and that the will-driven right of the stronger does not prevail. The success of our efforts will be measured in the long term by how many countries outside the Western Circle we convince of this vision. Above all, Russia, but also China and other actors are increasingly assertively influencing the politics of the countries of the so-called global South. It would therefore be a fatal mistake to allow their attitudes towards us to be determined by the pictures painted by our opponents. We must not allow the Russian interpretation of the war in Ukraine or the false notion that the interests of these countries can best be defended by autocratic powers to prevail. We can best achieve this in Africa, Asia, and South America with patient work and a fair offer of open cooperation. Africa in particular is a continent whose development is in our vital interest. That is also why, after the president of Mozambique, I also welcomed the Angolan head of state in Prague and held talks with President Kagame and other African leaders in Rwanda. I will continue to be in contact with these African representatives.
If we want to be a respected partner and have influence at the international level, we must also strengthen our development and transformation cooperation. We should strive not only to secure a sufficient amount of financial and human resources, but also for greater flexibility, in order to be able to strengthen re-established relationships through development as well as cooperative projects.
Supporting companies and searching for new economic opportunities is a fixed part of my travels and the visits I receive. The security and stability of the Czech Republic is closely linked to our prosperity and the success of companies abroad. I am glad that we managed to invite entrepreneurs, for example, to travel to Israel at a time of tense security situation in the region. In cooperation with the Union of Industry and Transport and the Chamber of Commerce, I want to continue to build business delegations according to the real possibilities and needs of the given country, and to select especially innovative companies and perspective fields. After each such trip, and especially when it turns into a concrete result in the form of an established cooperation or contract, I would very much welcome your feedback.
Ladies and gentlemen, the next 12 months have several key events ahead of us. In November, 35 years will pass since the Velvet Revolution, which marked, among other things, the beginning of a new independent Czechoslovak and later Czech foreign policy. The year 2025 will also be the year of a new, perhaps an old, president of the United States of America. And as we know, the outcome of the American elections will largely determine where the possible solutions to the current conflicts will move. But it will also be the year of the eightieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War, the liberation of the concentration camps and a number of other important commemorations. It is our duty to keep these memories alive but also understandable for younger generations to avoid repeating the same mistakes in the future.
Last but not least, next year will bring one seemingly small, yet significant change for our citizens. Czechs abroad will be able to cast their vote in elections by mail. For those who live far from home, but have maintained a relationship with their country and do not care what happens in it, the possibility of a correspondence election is a significant relief. I would therefore like to ask you to inform compatriots in the countries of your assignment in a timely and reliable manner about this change. All the tasks I talked about would not be possible without the determination, professionalism and dedication of you, your colleagues. During my travels abroad, I had the opportunity to see the work of many of you, and I know with what commitment you devote yourself to the defense of Czech interests. I would like to sincerely thank you for your work so far and wish you much energy and success in your future endeavors. Thank you for your attention.
Petr Pavel, President of the Republic, Prague Castle, August 27, 2024