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Vaclav Klaus: ‘It’s wrong’ to put gas dispute as European issue

7 January 2009 By

 

The video is not available yet, but here already is a transcript of today’s comments by Czech President Vaclav Klaus:

 

 

00:00:00    
Title  
  00:00:05
Arrival of José Manuel Barroso, EC President, and Václav Klaus, Czech President  
  00:00:10    
SOUNDBITE (English) by José Manuel Barroso, EC President: President Klaus reminded me that not only signed the accession Treaty of the Lisbon Treaty of Czech Republic to EU but in fact it was the person who asked membership, proposed membership to the EU. And after these years, we can say that it has been a success for the Czech Republic. A clear majority of the Czech people supports the European process and they can see the benefits that the EU has brought to the standards of life and prosperity of the Czech Republic.  
  00:00:50
SOUNDBITE (English) by Václav Klaus, Czech President: This is basically an economic issue between Russia and Ukraine, and it is wrong to politize this issue and it is wrong to put it as an European issue. So the position for the Czech Republic, of the Czech government and of the Czech President is to try to have it as a Russian / Ukrainian dispute. If we are able to help a little bit, to help the negotiation, that will be positive. Nevertheless the issue remains among them.  
  00:01:25    
Cutaway  
  00:01:31
SOUNDBITE (English) by Václav Klaus: For us, for the Czechs, the membership in the EU is an issue which has no alternative and no one in the Czech Republic is thinking about the possibility of entering some other integration than the EU. So, membership is no alternative. On the other hand forums and methods of the European integration process I am absolutely sure have many alternatives, and some of them are better, some of them are worst, and we should all of us in Europe be free to discuss them.  
  00:02:09    
SOUNDBITE (English) by José Manuel Barroso: We welcome debate but at least we believe that all countries that have signed the Treaty should ratify it. It is a principle of good faith. When a country has a Treaty means that it is creating an obligation to ratify it. That is what we expect naturally from the Czech Republic that has signed the Lisbon Treaty.  
IN THE SAME SHOT  
SOUNDBITE (English) by Václav Klaus: But I would add one point, I hope that Mr. Barroso will come here more often and I will convert him and that he will be very soon on my side in this debate about the Lisbon Treaty. So, that’s my dream, and that’s my hope for the future.  
  00:03:00
Handshake  
  00:03:07    
END  

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