Foreign minister will not attend Olympics due to Canadian visa restrictions

Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Kohout says he will not be attending the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver due to the visa restrictions Canada imposed on Czech citizens last year. Speaking to Czech Television on Sunday, Mr Kohout stressed that the ministry was by no means unsupportive of the games, but that he had no reason to visit Canada as a minister – having been assured there would not be an opportunity for official meetings – and that as a private citizen it was unacceptable that he would apply for a visa. Czech President Václav Klaus has also said he will not be attending the Olympics due to the visa restrictions.