Archive: Foreign policy | NATO NATO
Czechs join NATO defense mission in Turkey
In the next couple of weeks, four Czech soldiers are set to join other
troops from Germany, Holland, Slovakia and others in Turkey. The
NATO-approved mission aims to help the Turks protect their border with
Syria and prevent the civil war in Syria from spilling over. More
NATO Secretary General: in times of austerity, allies need to pool resources
The Czech Parliament has just been hosting an annual session of the NATO
Parliamentary Assembly, which serves as a consulting body to the alliance.
Much of the debate was devoted to the financing of the armed forces at a
time of economic austerity. So how can NATO’s defence capabilities be
maintained when member states are cutting their defence budgets? That’s a
question Czech Radio’s Pavel Novák put to NATO Secretary General Anders
Fogh Rasmussen. More
Russian President Medvedev in Prague
Russian President Dmitri Medvedev arrives in Prague on Wednesday at the
invitation of Czech President Václav Klaus. His short visit will entail
primarily meetings with President Klaus, who is often noted for his warm
attitude towards Russia, and later on Thursday with Prime Minister Petr
Nečas. There is plenty on the table for discussion among Czech and Russian
leaders, namely business deals and Russia’s bid for the tender to
complete the Temelín nuclear power plant in South Bohemia. Many of the
milestones in the last decade of Czech-Russian relations however have been
negative, with years of debate over the abandoned American missile defence
plan and a spy scandal two years ago. Christian Falvey spoke with Petr
Kratochvíl, one of the heads of Prague’s Institute of International
Relations and an expert on Russia, who he first asked where relations stand
now. More
NATO chief slams Czechs over reduced military spending
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has criticized the Czech
government for reduced military spending. According to media reports, the
NATO chief sent Prime Minister Petr Nečas a letter warning that his
government might not be able to fulfil its commitments to the alliance
should these cuts continue in the coming years. More
Schwarzenberg meets with Clinton on official visit to the US
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karel Schwarzenberg, is wrapping up a
brief, official visit to the United States where he met with his American
counterpart Hillary Clinton. Czech Radio’s US correspondent Vít Pohanka
is in Washington and spoke with both officials before and after the
meeting. More
Czech Foreign Minister takes mixed message to NATO
Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg has just been to NATO’s
Brussels headquarters bearing mixed news about the government’s
intentions. On the one hand it wants to quickly downsize its contribution
to the ongoing peace mission in Kosovo, but on the other it is offering a
bigger presence in Afghanistan.
More
US, Russian leaders sign new arms control deal in Prague
US President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a
landmark nuclear arms control deal in Prague on Thursday. The new START
treaty, which took nearly a year to negotiate, will reduce the two
countries’ nuclear arsenals by roughly 30 percent more than the previous
deal. Both leaders also said they hoped the treaty would pave the way for
further weapons cuts.
More
How will US-Russian nuclear deal affect Czech security?
US President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev are set to
sign a landmark nuclear arms control treaty in the Czech capital on
Thursday. But some Czechs are concerned that Barack Obama’s effort to
engage Russia could undermine the security of their own country. Radio
Prague spoke to Daniel Anýž, a foreign policy commentator for a leading
Czech daily, Hospodářské noviny, and asked him whether he thought these
concerns were justified.
More
Prague set to host signing of US-Russian nuclear arms treaty
In two weeks’ time, news crews from around the world are set to descend
on the Czech capital for the signing of an important deal between the
United States and Russia on reducing their nuclear arsenals. The planned
summit comes a year after America’s president, Barack Obama, outlined his
policy on arms control in a major speech at Prague Castle.
More
NATO chief Rasmussen hopes to see more Czech troops in Afghanistan
NATO’s Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen is in the Czech Republic
for a two-day visit, primarily to drum up support for a heightened Czech
military presence in Afghanistan. On Friday, Mr Rasmuseen met with the
Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer, whose government has already approved an
increase of Czech troops in the war-ridden country. But the decision has
yet to be sanctioned by the Czech Parliament, and NATO’s Secretary
General is later scheduled to meet with party leaders to try to win their
support for the plan.
More
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