Schwarzenberg to meet Zeman over ambassador row

Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg told the Czech News Agency on Sunday that the dispute over new Czech ambassadors is actually at the core of who will control Czech foreign policy. The minister is set to meet President Miloš Zeman on Tuesday to discuss their disagreement over the naming of new ambassadors to Slovakia and Russia. A few weeks ago, President Zeman nominated his predecessor’s wife Livia Klausová to the post in Bratislava, and the MEP for the Communist Party Vladimír Remek to the one in Moscow. Mr Schwarzenberg disagreed with both choices and emphasized that it is in the competencies of the foreign minister to nominated ambassadors, while the president traditionally only signs the subsequent approval of the government.