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Mr Klaus was sworn in on Friday afternoon as the second president in the history of the Czech Republic and the tenth head of state since 1918 when independent Czechoslovakia was founded. The inauguration ceremony took place at the historic Prague Castle. In attendance were members of parliament, foreign diplomats, as well as former president Vaclav Havel and his wife Dagmar.

The joint Czech and Slovak anti-chemical, biological and nuclear battalion deployed in Kuwait has begun monitoring the chemical and radiation situation in the Kuwaiti capital in preparation for any retaliatory strike in the case of war against Iraq. Over the past two days the troops moved from their base at Camp Doha to strategic objects in the country, such as military bases and vital installations including the Kuwaiti oilfields. The joint battalion of about 400 Czech and 60 Slovak troops has a mandate to respond to attacks in 24 countries, including Israel and Turkey, as part of a task force with US and German troops. The Czech and Slovak parliaments have also given permission for the battalion to operate in Iraq.

After his swearing in Friday Mr Klaus gave a short inauguration speech in which he outlined some principles of his new presidency, saying he would seek to be an active president, laying special emphasis on the presidential role of representing the country abroad, improving relations with the Czech Republic's immediate neighbours, and stressing the importance of the Czech Republic's integration to the European Union. Also mentioned was the importance of renewing and broadening the publics' general trust in party politics at home.

Politicians' reactions to President Klaus' inauguration speech on Friday were largely favourable, with many saying they believed Mr Klaus would hold to presidential promises made in his inauguration speech. Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla reacted positively saying the new president had 'a very clear idea of the demands of his office'. Communist representatives, on the other hand, were more careful in characterising Mr Klaus' words, with Communist representative Jiri Dolejs suggesting it was wiser to 'judge people by their deeds', and that his party would 'wait and see' just how Mr Klaus would acknowledge the Communist Party; his predecessor, Vaclav Havel, refused to engage the communists during thirteen years in office. Finally, Petr Mares of the Freedom Union, a junior partner in the country's ruling coalition, said he felt Mr Klaus should have reflected more on the legacy of his predecessor Vaclav Havel. However, he added that his statement was not intended as criticism.