Prague, March 9 (CTK) – Hynek Kmonicek, the new Czech ambassador to the USA, considers the establishment of contacts with Donald Trump’s Administration his main long-term task, he has told CTK, adding that he will also be checking potential fake media information and increase his activity on social networks.
Kmonicek said he is leaving for the Czech embassy in Washington next Wednesday.
“We enjoy a special advantage, which is the Czech part of the president’s family. The existence of their quite strong emotional relation towards us has a value of several military brigades,” Kmonicek said.
Speculations mention Trump’s former wife, Czech-born Ivana Trump, as a possible candidate for U.S. ambassador to the Czech Republic. Czech President Milos Zeman previously expressed support for her.
Kmonicek, nevertheless, said the ambassador will be chosen by the USA and he does not expect anyone to ask him about the Czech preferences in this respect.
Kmonicek, who was Czech ambassador to countries such as India, Bangladesh and Australia, and who headed the Presidential Office’s foreign department in recent years, said the U.S. mission means his return to the role of ambassador, which is gaining information.
“An ambassador must have contacts in the host country that would enable him to say whether a report appearing in newspapers is true of false,” he said.
Kmonicek said the use of social networks, which has been a trend among diplomats and politicians, will be a novelty for him.
“It has not been that necessary in the Czech Republic, but I suppose I will enter the social networks to a large extent,” he said.
Kmonicek said he will receive the first delegation in his capacity as Czech ambassador in less than two weeks, probably still before he hands over his credentials to President Trump.
“I will have Thursday and Friday to acquaint myself with the embassy. The first delegation will arrive on Monday,” he said.
In late March, the embassy will be visited by Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek, Transport Minister Dan Tok and Czech EU commissioner Vera Jourova.
Even as ambassador, Kmonicek will keep his role of an adviser to Czech President Zeman.
This will be an advantage for him. “A moment may come when you need to know your president’s stance on something immediately. In such a moment you either have his phone number or not, and the president either answers your call or not,” Kmonicek said.
