Foreign minister candidate Lipavský says little after talks with Zeman

The nascent Czech government’s candidate for minister of foreign affairs, Jan Lipavský, met President Miloš Zeman on Tuesday morning as part of a series of such talks the latter is holding. Prior to Tuesday’s meeting Mr. Zeman indicated that he would not under any circumstances appoint Mr. Lipavský as the country’s foreign policy chief.

However in a press briefing after their discussion the Pirate Party MP only said that the two had debated various issues pertaining to foreign policy. He refused to be drawn on whether he was the cabinet nominee the president plans to veto.

Mr. Lipavský has said that the Czech Republic needs to greatly rethink its relations with Russia and China, two states with which Mr. Zeman has fostered close ties.

Radio station Frekvence 1 reported that Mr. Zeman suggested that Mr. Lipavský  step down as nominee for foreign minister during Tuesday's meeting.