President Klaus urges Czechs and Germans to reconcile

Speaking at the close of a two day conference on Czech-German relations, President Vaclav Klaus called on the two nations to reconcile with the past and look to the future. Mr. Klaus said that although no nation could afford to bury its history, it was vital to accept what could not be changed. He reminded both nations that in the long history of Czech German relations there had been more good than bad. The times of cooperation were longer than the times of adversity, the Czech president said, adding that it was the Germans who came in peace who had made the deepest mark on life and developments in the Czech Republic. In the interest of EU enlargement and our common future in Europe we should build on what was positive, the Czech president concluded.