Prague, Oct 26 (CTK) – Czech President Milos Zeman who places great emphasis on economic diplomacy concentrated in the first half of his mandate on journeys to the Eastern markets whose potential is not tapped sufficiently now plans to go to Latin America, Lidove noviny (LN) writes yesterday.
LN writes that Zeman was like the medieval Italian merchant traveller, Marco Polo, who went as far as China which Zeman has visited repeatedly.
Next year, Zeman will follow in the footsteps of Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes, having the same goal of conquering Latin America, LN writes.
Zeman was to fly overseas this year already, but his team eventually adjourned the planned trips to Mexico and Colombia and he will go there next year.
“We are already discussing the Latin American visit next year,” Zeman’s spokesman Jiri Ovcacek told LN.
LN writes that particularly Mexico is an attractive country for Czech exports, and mainly engineering and heavy industries are doing well there.
Trade and Industry Minister Jan Mladek (Social Democrats, CSSD) visited Mexico in June already. He negotiated about the role of an observer country of the Pacific Alliance, that is also comprised of Chile, Colombia and Peru, LN writes.
It writes that this position would give Czechs more opportunities to invest in Latin America.
Czech ministers are also planning to visit potential markets. Zeman and the centre-left coalition government of Bohuslav Sobotka (CSSD) agree on that economic diplomacy must be in the forefront of attention, LN writes.
It writes that Mladek will go to the Persian Gulf area in November. During six days, he will visit Kuwait, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
“I am the first minister of this government who has succeeded in arranging a visit to the area. However, bilateral relations are not yet on the level that would allow me to take a delegation of businesspeople with me, but I want to create conditions for this to be possible later,” Mladek told LN.
LN writes that still before he became president, Zeman promised to mainly visit Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS), or five major emerging national economies, where he sees opportunities for Czech firms.
He has visited Beijing and Moscow, and Brazil would be a logical option. The Presidential Office has not yet confirmed a visit to the country, but Chamber of Commerce head Vladimir Dlouhy speaks about it, LN writes.
He said Zeman will probably go to Latin America next spring and that he is likely to also visit Costa Rica.
Czechs have had good trade relations mainly with Brazil, LN writes.
Czech businesspeople praise Zeman as well as the ministers’ trips. “The participation of the president in business missions is of a great importance for the promotion of exports and foreign investments. The head of state, figuratively speaking, opens many doors and contributes to the acceleration of conclusion of contracts that are being negotiated,” Dlouhy told LN.
He also praised Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek’s (CSSD) visit to Iran in September.
Dlouhy said many businesspeople were interested in taking part in it and some negotiated new contracts with Iran.
Zaoralek, accompanied by firms’ representatives, is currently visiting Vietnam and Malaysia. They are to return on October 27, LN writes.
