President to visit troops in Afghanistan

Prague, March 10 (CTK) - Czech President Milos Zeman wants to visit Czech soldiers in Afghanistan whose work he esteems, he said on Prima Television yesterday, adding that the precise date is being discussed.

Zeman also said he is missing the defence minister in the government. The ministry is temporarily headed by Prime Minister Petr Necas (Civic Democrats, ODS).

Necas fired Karolina Peake (LIDEM) as defence minister after eight days in office at the end of last year and the post has been vacant since then.

"I comprehend that no one wants to take up the post now, one and a quarter years ahead of the general election," Zeman said.

He said he who will eventually become defence minister, will show courage.

No details of the visit to the mission in Afghanistan where the Czech Republic is decreasing its strength have been discussed as yet, Zeman said.

A Czech Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) ended its mission in Logar Province after five years in early February. Soldiers are now "tidying" and completing and handing over their projects to partners.

Czech soldiers are present in Wardak Province where they train Afghan soldiers and police. Other Czech military experts, including chemists, surgeons and aviation instructors, work at KAIA base near Kabul.

Zeman said he sees two fundamental roles to be played by the Czech military. One is participation in the integrated rescue system, that is assistance in floods and other natural disasters.

The other role, and here Zeman said he differs with many politicians, is participation in foreign missions. He said the Czech military has quality special forces or a unit designed to fight the consequences of mass destruction weapons.

"It is actually struggle against international terrorism and it is better if this struggle is taking place thousands of kilometres away from our border than if terrorists blasted perhaps the Nusle Bridge (in Prague)," Zeman said.

He also said the Czech military has only 30 tanks, which is why it is not much useful for territorial defence.

"I disagree with those who speak about territorial defence, about a military having all armies. We are a member of NATO and a certain division of labour should exist within NATO," Zeman said.

Zeman said he supports the creation of mixed brigades, for instance, within the EU, that can save money from the point of view of compatibility of armament and equipment.

Last week the Visegrad Four (V4) countries (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) agreed to build their own combat group by 2016.

"Building a European military is a long-term goal," Zeman said.

He repeated that he is a Euro federalist, but that he is not an advocate of a European unitary state. That is why he considers it nonsensical to build a single European police, for instance.

Zeman, who is supreme commander of the military, said he did not do the military service because of a heart condition.