Rice With Czech MFA Karel Schwarzenberg

Rice With Czech MFA Karel Schwarzenberg

Remarks With Czech Republic Minister of Foreign Affairs Karel Schwarzenberg Before Their Meeting

Secretary Condoleezza Rice
Washington, DC
April 20, 2007

SECRETARY RICE: Good morning. It's with great pleasure that I welcome Foreign Minister Schwarzenberg to the United States. Our great ally, the Czech Republic, stands with us in the war on terror in Afghanistan, in Iraq, but also stands with us on the basis of common values to fight for the rights of people in Cuba, in Belarus, across the world in Burma, to stand with us for the defeat of tyranny and the victory of freedom. We will talk about a great number of subjects today, including the 21st century threats that we face not just in terrorism, but from the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

I look forward to discussions with my colleague about ways that we might protect ourselves against those threats including through missile defense, a conversation that we are having bilaterally with our Czech and Polish colleagues, but also discussions that we're having within NATO -- there was a very good discussion of this issue yesterday in NATO -- and discussions that we are having with Russia, because we all face common threats and we need to prepare for those threats.

But we also face common opportunities and I look forward to talking with you, Minister, about how we can exploit the opportunities of these challenging times, so thank you very much for being here. The Czech Republic is an outstanding friend and ally and I look forward to beginning our discussions for the first time.

FOREIGN MINISTER Schwarzenberg: Yes, this is the first time in Washington as Minister for Foreign Affairs and I would like to thank very much the Secretary of State for inviting me. It's a visit of special importance for me not only because of the greatness and importance of the United States, but because for us, our alliance with the United States and our common work all over the world for human rights is of special importance. I must admit, of course, everybody is influenced by his childhood experience and I will never forget in my life the morning beginning of May 1945, when we awoke, and to the (inaudible) of my parents, there were two armed cars and one American tank in front of our house which saved us from a greater massacre which was prepared.

So that, of course, leaves you some vestiges in you for your life. But of course, time has changed. It's 60 years ago or more, and now we have to confront the danger we have today. We have to see them realistically. We shouldn't be too (inaudible), but we should know what the world of today is, not be afraid of the dangers of yesterday, but confront the dangers of tomorrow and of today. And that's one of the reasons I came here and I'm very happy to meet with Ms. Condoleezza Rice, who is an experienced minister of foreign affairs and you -- so the fact that you are studying history with a deep understanding for what is happening in the world. Thank you so much.

SECRETARY RICE: Thank you very much.

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Released on April 20, 2007

ENDS

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