Prime Minister Attends Two Summits in New York

Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka will attend two international summits held in New York on 28 and 29 September 2015. The events are dedicated to the fight against the Islamic State and to U.N. peacekeeping operations. During his working visit to the city, the Czech premier will symbolically pay tribute to the victims of the terrorist attack of 11 September 2001 at the 9/11 Memorial.

Tuesday, 29 September 2015

• 1.00 p.m. (GMT +2) Arrival of the Prime Minister with a delegation at the airport in Prague Kbely.
    
• 10:00 p.m. (GMT -4) Departure of a special flight transporting the Czech prime minister from New York to Prague.

• 3:30 p.m. (GMT -4) During a bilateral meeting, Premier Sobotka wished his Iraqi counterpart Haider al-Abadi much success in fighting the ISIL and assured him that his country can continue to rely on the Czech Republic's support.

  

  Bilateral talks between Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka and Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, 29 September 2015.

• 3:00 p.m. (GMT -4) Meeting of Premier Sobotka and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden; the meeting was also attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lubomír Zaorálek. Vice President Biden expressed appreciation for assistance provided by the Czech Republic in the fight against the Islamic State.
  - Press release for the meeting with the Vice President Biden
  

  

  Premier Sobotka and Foreign Minister Zaorálek met with U.S. Vice President Biden, 29 September 2015.

• 10:30 a.m. (GMT -4) Prime minister's attendance at the summit against the Islamic State and violent extremism. 

  

  Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka attended a summit dedicated to the fight against the Islamic State, 29 September 2015.

• 8:45 a.m. (GMT -4) The prime minister laid flowers at the 9/11 Memorial to pay tribute to the victims of the terrorist attack of 11 September 2001, including Czech nationals Alena Sešínová and Lukáš Rambousek. "The act resulted in thousands of casualties among people from dozens of countries around the world and foreshadowed one of the principal threats of the current century. The terrorist attack in New York as well as those perpetrated in Washington, London, Madrid, Paris, Copenhagen, and many other places around the globe, have shown that security, freedom, democracy, tolerance, and respect for human rights and human dignity do not happen as a matter of course and need to be collectively defended," said the prime minister.
  - Press release for the visit to the 9/11 Memorial
  

  

  Prime Minister Sobotka paid tribute to victims of 11 September 2001 at Ground Zero in New York, 29 September 2015.

Monday, 28 September 2015

• 5:45 p.m. (GMT -4) Premier Sobotka delivered a speech at the U.N. Peacekeeping Summit.
  - Speech delivered by Premier Sobotka at the U.N. Peacekeeping Summit
   

  

  Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka spoke at the UN summit on peacekeeping missions during his official trip to the United States, on 28 September 2015.

• 3:00 p.m. (GMT -4) Beginning of the U.N. Peacekeeping Summit hosted jointly by President Obama and U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for a coalition of approximately 50 selected countries that participate in U.N. peacekeeping missions.

  

  Beginning of the U.N. Peacekeeping Summit.

• 12:00 p.m. (GMT -4) The Czech government's airplane landed at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.

  

  Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka at the John F. Kennedy International Airport upon arrival in New York, 28 September 2015.

• Present on board of the aircraft was Corporal Brychta who has been wounded in Afghanistan and travelled to the U.S. for medical consultations. 

  

  Premier Sobotka with Corporal Brychta at the Prague-Kbely Airport prior to departure, 28 September 2015.

• 7:15 a.m. (GMT+02) A special aircraft carrying the Czech prime minister departed from Prague to New York.