Prague, Aug 28 (CTK) – The strategic dialogue of the Czech Republic and Germany is a basic instrument of good relations in Central Europe, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (Social Democrats, CSSD) said after a meeting of Czech ambassadors today.
He also mentioned the importance of cooperation within the Visegrad Four (the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland).
Sobotka said the Czech government had created a number of formats for regional cooperation.
“Our strategic dialogue we have with Germany is the first of the formats with which we contribute to good relations in Europe and stability,” he added.
He stressed the talks on better transport links and bigger cooperation in science and research within the framework of the dialogue.
Sobotka denoted the V4 as the second important instrument of Czech diplomacy as it helps insist on Czech positions within the EU.
“I am convinced that the V4 has played a vital role within the EU in the debate on the migrant crisis. The V4 played a vital and constructive role in the definition of new aims and directions for the future of the EU while we have to deal with the Brexit,” Sobotka said.
Within the V4, he stressed the cooperation between Prague and Bratislava.
“I think that Czech-Slovak cooperation creates a vital axis, maybe the backbone of the V4 functioning,” Sobotka said.
He went on to appreciate the Czech Republic’s cooperation with Slovakia on the European level.
Through the V4 the Czech Republic can still insist on its long-standing priorities in the EU such as its enlargement to the countries which fulfil its membership conditions, Sobotka said.
He mentioned the western Balkans countries.
Sobotka said the Czech Republic should intensify its relations with France.
“In the past years, we managed to considerably increase exchanges and visits on the top political level between the Czech Republic and France. We are trying to look for cooperation topics also within the EU,” he added.
French President Emmanuel Macron may come for a visit to Prague next spring during which he is to sign a cooperation plan for another four years with Czech Republic.
