Press Releases

30. 5. 200715:43

Talks with the Israeli Deputy Premier

Today, on May 30, 2007, Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek and Deputy Premier for European Affairs Alexandr Vondra met the visiting Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister of the State of Israel Tzipi Livni.

Both sides emphasized the long-standing traditions of friendly ties between the two countries. At the practical level, they praised the development of mutual economic cooperation, primarily the Israeli investments in the Czech Republic, as corroborated by today’s inauguration of Tival factory at Krupka near Teplice, a plant that will supply the EU with food products.

The Israeli Deputy Premier explained Israel’s attitude to the European Union, expressing an interest in fostering closer cooperation with the Union and the NATO. She also appreciated the role played by the Czech Republic as a strategic link in the relations with the two groupings, as illustrated, for instance, by the fact that since 2005 the Czech Embassy in Tel Aviv has been NATO’s contact embassy in Israel.

The Czech Republic will seek to promote relations between the EU and Israel also within the framework of the Czech presidency in 2009; the Middle East peace process is one of the foreign policy priorities of the Czech EU presidency.

Press Department of the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic
tiskovy.odbor@vlada.cz