Presidential candidates meet expatriates in USA

New York, Sept 20 (CTK) - Czech presidential candidates Jan Fischer, former caretaker cabinet head, and Karel Schwarzenberg, current foreign minister, have included meetings with members of the Czech community living in the United States in their campaign before the direct election due early next year.

While Schwarzenberg will be meeting Czech expatriates on Saturday on the sidelines of his working visit to the United States, Fischer is fully devoted to his presidential campaign.

Fischer left the post of of European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) vice president because of his presidential candidacy. He is the biggest favourite of the election, opinion polls show.

Another favourite seems to be former socialist prime minister Milos Zeman.

The mandate of outgoing President Vaclav Klaus expires in March 2013.

Schwarzenberg is not among the hottest candidates, yet a number of Czech personalities back his candidacy. He is the official candidate of TOP 09, the junior government party he leads.

yesterday, Fischer met former U.S. state secretary Henry Kissinger.

Fischer said any presidential candidate should persuade voters that he is interested in foreign policy.

Early this week, Fischer had talks with John McCain, the Republican candidate for U.S. president.

Schwarzenberg will meet his U.S. counterpart, Hillary Clinton, on Friday and he will take part in a United Unions General Assembly meeting.

David Gaydecka, from Schwarzenberg's election team, said the New York meeting with members of the Czech community will not be an event where Schwarzenberg would merely be campaigning for his election, though the presidential election undoubtedly would be discussed.