Former ForMin Svoboda to open academy of diplomacy

Prague, May 9 (CTK) - Former Czech foreign minister Cyril Svoboda who is founding a new private diplomatic academy wants foreign students to attend it, iDnes.cz server wrote Monday.

Svoboda wrote in daily Lidove noviny that the project is not to compete with the diplomatic academy of the Czech Foreign Ministry that is educating its own diplomats.

Svoboda said he wants the two academies to cooperate.

Svoboda is still formally an employee of the Foreign Ministry as an adviser, but he claims he has neither his own chair nor any work.

The termination of the employment contract of Svoboda, who was a Chamber of Deputies member, requires the approval of the Chamber's chairwoman Miroslava Nemcova.

Svoboda, former chairman of the now extra-parliamentary Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL), wants to open the academy in the party's seat.

"I suppose that students from abroad could also attend the academy, for instance, future diplomats from the Balkans," Svoboda said.

He counts with support from European enlargement commissioner Stefan Fuele and Vladimir Spidla, who was EU social affairs and employment commissioner.

The annual tuition fee is to be some 50,000 crowns.

"The prepared project is not competition for the Foreign Ministry's activity. It can benefit our country as well as Europe," Svoboda said.

"It will be a contribution to Europe. We have the Czech enlargement commissioner who communicates with many ministries of the countries that are seeking EU entry. This is a unique opportunity for us to address future young diplomats, particularly from the Balkans," Svoboda said.

The academy is to focus on European integration, security and threats, world finances, the diplomatic protocol, communication with media, strategic negotiating and legal help in international relations.