- Sputnik International
World
Get the latest news from around the world, live coverage, off-beat stories, features and analysis.

Ex-Czech FM: 'Moving Embassy to Jerusalem Would be a Mistake'

© AP Photo / Oded BaliltyA view of Jerusalem Old City seen from Mount of Olives, Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2017.
A view of Jerusalem Old City seen from Mount of Olives, Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2017. - Sputnik International
Subscribe
The Czech Republic plans to open an Honorary Consulate in Jerusalem by the end of this month. Milos Zeman, the country's president, has also expressed his support for moving the Czech Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, contrary to the EU policy on the matter. Sputnik has discussed this with former Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kavan.

Sputnik: Why is the Czech Republic not sticking to the EU’s common direction?

Jan Kavan: You need to ask president Zeman… I agree with the European Union, as long as the process that has now been suspended hasn't begun, while, according to the UN resolution, and with Israel's consent, two states haven’t been created, one of which must be a free, independent, democratic Palestine with the capital in East Jerusalem, it's not possible to move the consulate there. The European Union has consistently reiterated this for many years. In the past, the Czech Republic also agreed with this. Soon an honorary consulate will be opened there [in Jerusalem], which, in my opinion, is not a violation of international law. A non-official consulate can be practically anywhere, but until West Jerusalem becomes the capital of Israel, and East Jerusalem — the capital of Palestine, an embassy should not be moved there.

President Milos Zeman has really been pushing the decision to move the embassy there for the last two years now. The government has so far not declared anything like this, but now it has given its consent to open an honorary consulate and a Czech cultural center [in Jerusalem]. As far as I know, the government does not support the transfer of the embassy.

READ MORE: Israel Summons Envoys From Belgium, Spain, Slovenia Over UN Gaza Vote — Tel Aviv

Sputnik: The Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania recently blocked a joint declaration of the European Union, which criticized the US decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry has stated that it strongly condemns the actions of these three countries and that they bear full responsibility for the development of the situation in the region. Do efforts to open an honorary consulate and a Czech Embassy in Jerusalem pose any potential danger? Doesn't this increase the terrorist threat to Czech citizens?

An emergency meeting is held by foreign ministers of the Arab League in Cairo, Egypt, Jan. 15, 2015 - Sputnik International
Palestine Asks Arab Nations to Cut Ties to States Moving Embassies to Jerusalem
Jan Kavan: The Czech Republic, along with some other EU countries, has blocked the declaration of the European Union, which I really regret, because the EU's stance on an embassy move has been like that for a long time. In the past, all states, including the Czech Republic, supported it. I believe that the Czech Republic's view on the matter changed has under the influence of president Zeman. We will have to see whether this policy will be supported by the new government.

Personally, I do not think that this will lead to an increased terrorist threat, but in any case, the decision of the Czech Republic, as well as the decision of Trump, on the transfer of the embassy, will lead to an increase of instability in the region, increased tensions and weaken the chances of signing a peace agreement. I do not consider these steps reasonable. It's a pity, because the Czech Republic has always had good relations with both Israel and the Palestinians, but now Prague seems to be gravitating more to one of the participants in the conflict. I hope that this won't always be the case.

Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes walks next to Israeli President Reuven Rivlin upon his arrival for a meeting at the Israeli president's residence in Jerusalem, ahead of the dedication ceremony of the embassy of Paraguay in Jerusalem, May 21, 2018 - Sputnik International
Paraguay Opens Embassy in Jerusalem, Following US Example (PHOTO, VIDEO)
Sputnik: Czech television has quoted the former Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic, Karel Schwarzenberg, who said: "I would not transfer the embassy to Jerusalem, because this step will not improve the safety of any Israeli." If the choice were yours, would you move the embassy?

Jan Kavan: Absolutely not. I have already said this many times and see no reason for me to change my mind. I fully agree with Mr. Schwarzenberg in this respect. It's not safe. These are, rather, gestures designed to please Trump. I would open embassies in Western Jerusalem for Israel and East Jerusalem for the Palestinians, only after two independent states are formed, and until then, no. Here I completely agree with the policy of Brussels, at the moment there is no reason to create an embassy, and on the contrary, I believe that this would be a big mistake.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала