Final Word from Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Václav Klaus has resigned himself to the idea that Mirek Topolánek will win confirmation on Fri. At least that's how we interpret his decision to call a foreign-policy meeting today. Having failed to push through a grand coalition, he must now start acting like a statesman again. Not that a little coordination of foreign policy isn't needed. Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg has been making bold statements - 'the Iraq war is a tragedy,' 'the text of the EU constitution can't remain,' 'there might be something to Austria's concerns about Temelín' - although the coalition accord uses quite a different language. Schwarzenberg indicated on Czech Radio that he thinks he alone has the right to set foreign policy. He told MFD that, as foreign minister, he can't allow his tongue to run wild, yet that's what he's been doing. But that isn't what today's meeting is mainly about. It's about saving Klaus's reelection. [Czech Republic European Union MF Dnes Foreign Affairs Vice Prime Minister Alexandr Vondra presidential elections]