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Speech of Prime Minister Václav Klaus given during the official dinner hosted by the Prime Minister of Canada

English Pages, 20. 2. 1997

Mr. Prime Minister, Mrs. Chrétien, Distinguished Guests, Ladies & Gentlemen,

I wish to use this opportunity to thank you for your warm welcome and hospitality. I am very happy that I was able to accept your kind invitation to visit your beautiful country, to meet with the top political representatives of Canada - with you, Mr. Prime Minister, at first place - and to contribute to the Czech - Canadian contacts which have been successfully developing over the past few years.

Although this is the first official visit of the Prime Minister of the independent Czech Republic to Canada, I hope that my country is not an uknown term or a „blank page“ for you. I am convinced that this is not the case. And I can assure you that the same is true vice-versa. Almost every Czech, when hearing the word „Canada“, immediately thinks of ice-hockey. Being an active sportsman, I do not underestimate this rather popular connection, especially since ice-hockey represents No.1 winter-sport in both our countries. I know that there are many other similarities which come from commonly shared ideals and values as well as from our awareness of belonging together.

Despite quite a long geographical distance, our countries both belong to the same cultural and civilization sphere. The Czech Republic is willing to fully participate in the integration process in Europe, but we consider strong transatlantic relations between Europe and North America, between us and Canada, equally important. We know that Czechs and Canadians together fought against fascism during the World War II., that the Czech and Canadian pilots were a part of the Royal Air Force in one of the crucial battles of this war and we do not forget these historical lessons.

In the Czech Republic, we did not succeed - under historical circumstances and our own weakness - in saving ourselves from the communist threat. For several decades we got locked inside an imperial block, a block controlled by a totalitarian ideology which destroyed our economy and fundamentally endangered our society. I wish to express our great appreciation that during this period Canada provided the necessary asylum to a great number of our fellow-countrymen which left their homeland and were given a chance to use their abilities and talent in new conditions. Names as Baťa, Škvorecký, Ančerl and many others have become a part of the Canadian society but at the same time, they never completely disappeared from the Czech society. I can mention here one member of my delegation, Dr. Outrata, the Chairman of the Czech Statistical Office, who had lived and worked in Canada for more than 20 years and who now uses his Canadian experience in the Czech Republic.

We gained our freedom back again seven years ago and since then we have undergone a unique tranformation process with the main goal to introduce a political democracy and a market economy. I can say today that we have managed to basically complete this task and that we have returned into the group of developed, democratic countries where we always belonged. This does not mean that there is nothing left to be improved. However, it means that the Czech Republic is a fully stable democratic country with an open and efficient market economy. My visit to your country and the presence of a group of representatives of our business circles prove that the Czech Republic has a strong interest in active participation in the world economy and world trade where Canada plays a significant role.

We welcome Canadian investment activities in the Czech Republic, bilateral Czech-Canadian projects and the growth of our mutual trade. At the same time, we are also interested in political and security cooperation with your country.

The Czech Republic repeatably expressed during the past several years its willingness to participate in ensuring the security of the democratic world. We could prove this practically in our mutual cooperation when the Czech units participated in international missions UNCRO, UNPROFOR and IFOR under the Canadian command. I believe that this was a good cooperation valued on both sides. Please be assured that this is also our motivation to become a full member in NATO and I believe this is the way you understand it. I hope you will support our ambitions.

Mr. Prime Minister, let me thank you again for your invitation, for the words which you said just a few moments ago, thank you for your friendly and open dialogue which we had this morning.

Allow me, Mr. Prime Minister, to make a toast to our friendly coopearation and good relations between our two countries. I wish your country and you, Mr. Prime Minister, a successful future.

Václav Klaus, Ottawa, Canada, 20. February 1997