Press Releases

25. 3. 200810:12

Premier Mirek Topolánek and the Palestinian Ambassador Mohammed Salaymeh discussed the situation in the Middle East

During their talks in Prague on Tuesday, Czech Premier Mirek Topolánek and the Palestinian Ambassador Mohammed Salaymeh discussed the situation in the Middle East. Since the Czech Republic is prepared to play a more active role in solving the Middle East situaiton, it wants to use its position of a country respected by both sides involved in the conflict. "I believe that our possibilities lie in strengthening the role of the Palestinian state and its leading officials, President M. Abbas and Premier Salaam Fayad in a broader framework, i.e. by forming a strong administration, state institutions, the police, courts and by establishing trade relations," said the Czech Premier. "The only way of eliminating the extremist groups is to raise the living standards of the population and combat poverty," added the Premier. With these goals in mind, the Czech Republic is implementing its cooperation projects on the Western Bank of the Jordan, whether in the shape of electrification or the training of Palestinian police officers. Irrigation by means of solar collectors and training of Palestinian judges have been identified as other opportunities for the Czech Republic’s projects in the Palestinian territories.

During the reception, Ambassador M. Salaymeh was also given a letter to the Palestinian Premier Salaam Fayad with an official invitation to visit the Czech Republic. Premier M. Topolánek is highly interested in this visit, perceiving talks with Salaam Fayad as a key step on the road to stabilizing the Middle East situation. That the Czech Premier is keenly interested in the situation in the Middle East is corroborated by his recent visit to Israel, Jordan, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates. During his recent visits the Czech Prime Minister discussed the Middle East conflict with the leaders of those countries.

Press Department of the Government of the Czech Republic