Czech government sits on fence over Iraq

The Czech Republic's National Security Council held a special meeting on Monday evening to decide how to proceed over Iraq. The result was a non-committal stance: the country's political leaders agreed to wait until war actually breaks out before adopting a position. Rob Cameron explains why the Czechs are - for now - sitting on the fence.

Jaroslav Tvrdik and Vaclav Klaus, photo: CTK

Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla addressed reporters after the special session of the National Security Council. He said the country's anti-nuclear, biological and chemical weapons unit would remain in Kuwait, where it has been deployed for several months, and would only join an offensive if Iraq used weapons of mass destruction.

Monday's statements were in line with January's resolution approved by the Czech parliament that the unit would only go to war with the backing of the United Nations, or in the event of a nuclear, biological or chemical attack. However Mr Spidla hinted the country might be prepared to go further than that, saying the Czech Republic will only take a stance when the war begins in earnest.

from left to right: Vladimir Spidla, Stanislav Gross, Vaclav Klaus, Jaroslav Tvrdik, photo: CTK

The Iraq crisis has left Prague in a rather tricky position. Czech foreign policy has been greatly influenced by the former president Vaclav Havel. Mr Havel in turn was closely advised by the deputy Foreign Minister Alexandr Vondra, a former ambassador to Washington. Many believe it was Mr Vondra who suggested President Havel sign the infamous "letter of eight" supporting U.S. policy over Iraq - the letter which so infuriated France and Germany. The Czech government was at pains to distance itself from the letter, saying Mr Havel acted alone.

But few among the Czech public shared Mr Havel's pro-American views then, and even fewer do now. A recent poll showed 71 percent of Czechs are against the war, under any circumstances.

Mr Havel's successor, Vaclav Klaus, has been much more in tune with the public mood, although he is also keen not to undermine the Czech troops currently in Kuwait. President Klaus recently told them he was deeply proud of what they were doing; at the same time he says the government's policy must reflect public attitudes to the Iraqi crisis.