Final Word from Wednesday, February 26, 2003
When Jacques Chirac told the EU candidates to keep quiet about their pro-Americanism, the first reaction in Central Europe was indignation. Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda said the remark was unjust and overstated. Politicians and analysts are now dissecting Chirac's motives. Svoboda told LN Lidové noviny that Chirac was playing to his home audience. Analyst Radek Khol told Euro that Chirac was frustrated that most of Europe isn't behind him. Analyst Bohumil Doležal said in MFD that Romania and Bulgaria were Chirac's main targets. In contrast, analyst Martin Švehla said it's very likely Chirac mainly had Vladimír Špidla in mind, because Špidla (normally a Francophile) had sharply criticized France, Germany and Belgium for their position on defending Turkey. If true, Švehla said, Paris won't forget Špidla's remark and at some point will pay the Czechs back.