An
interview with
Dear Ambassador, you started your diplomatic career in 1992. Why did you not start in 1984, when you completed your studies at Kiev State University, in the Faculty of International Relations and International Law, where you specialized in International Economic Relations? At that time, international business seemed more attractive to me than diplomacy. In addition, my internship experience confirmed the fact that, in those days, ministries of foreign affairs and diplomacy in general were rather about shallow political games, behind-thescenes plays, and the pursuit of personal gain. That was one of the reasons why I decided to work for the foreign trade company Centrotex, where I worked in the export department for 8 years, and gradually worked up to the position of Vice Manager of the trade department. I was attracted to the position of Economic Secretary of the then Permanent Mission to the European Communities in Brussels. In competing for that position, I was the favorite of a three-round competition, so in the fall of 1992 I entered the field of diplomatic services. After becoming ambassador, the first place you served was in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. While you only just recently arrived to Luxembourg, is it possible to compare the two places? On one hand, Luxembourg and the Netherlands are two different countries, but on the other hand they also have a lot in common. That must also be the reason for their successful cooperation in Benelux. Let´s look, for example, at the same pragmatic approach the citizens of the two countries take when solving their problems, let’s look at their straightforward manners, their positive attitudes to foreigners, their feelings for business, their skills in navigating the international environment, and their abilities to communicate in multiple languages, and so on. They are similar people indeed. Ok, but was the Netherlands special in any way, in respect to your profession? In the Netherlands, my bilateral agenda was markedly enhanced by its multilateral dimension, e.g. in the field of international law. At the same time, I was a permanent representative of the Czech Republic in the OPCW (Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) and as the first Czech, I was elected a chairman of the Executive Board. So, the Czech Republic was actually managing the whole organization for one year. For this agenda, we did a lot of work with my colleagues, and I am glad that the Czech Republic left a very good track record in Den Haag. In the Netherlands, the important priorities for me were public diplomacy and support of economic trade relations. And these are the issues I would like to carry on in Luxembourg as well. Due to cost-saving measures, the Czech Republic closed down its residential embassy in Luxembourg. Do you think this was a good decision in 2012?
H.E. P etr K ubernát , C zech A mbassador
I have never considered the decision to close down our embassy in Luxembourg a good step. Unfortunately, the embassy in Luxembourg was among the ten embassies chosen before 2012 to be closed down for financial reasons. Although the Luxembourgers tried to understand our reasons, they were not pleased at all. They left their Prague embassy open anyway. Of course, the fact that our embassy was closed down influenced our bilateral relations. Now, after the re-opening of the embassy, we are able to build on the previous activities in some areas of cooperation. However, elsewhere we are starting again from zero, like in 2002 when our residential embassy was opened in Luxembourg. Besides, the lives of more than 1500 Czechs living in Luxembourg were complicated by this decision, because they had to contact our Brussels embassy 220 km away with all of their consular issues (inquiries for birth and marriage certificates, new passports, verifications of documents, criminal record statements, etc.). The other option for them was to solve these issues when visiting Prague. Furthermore, there was the fact that the Czech state kept ownership of the beautiful embassy building in Luxembourg, which previously belonged to the former Luxembourg Prime Minister Pierre Werner. Between 2004 and 2006, the villa underwent a complete reconstruction and now it was necessary to temper it, especially in winter, to provide all year round ventilation, and monitor it with a security agency. All of this cost money too. You say that we can build on our relationship with Luxembourg. Luxembourg Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean Asselborn said that with the re-opening of the Czech embassy at the beginning of this year, a new chapter on mutual relations was opened. What did you manage to write for this new chapter during the last six months? Within the scope of diplomatic activities in a foreign country, six months is too short of a time. Moreover, every new ambassador has to get to know the country of his assignment first, undergo a series of protocol and courtesy meetings, and establish important contacts throughout all areas of public life. Since July 1st, Luxembourg has been the presidential country of the European Union… Yes, this situation may often keep us fully occupied. However, we aren’t wasting any time, and we have already organized several cultural events, or cooperated as event co-organizers. Until the end of the year we will be preparing a seminar on economic opportunities in the Czech Republic, together with the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce. The main speaker will be the Minister of Industry and Trade Jan Mládek. At the same time, the seminar will mark the beginning of the preparations of the Luxembourg business mission to the Czech Republic, planned for the second half of 2016. In cooperation with the importer of Škoda cars to Luxembourg, we are working on the introduction of the new
to
L uxembourg
Škoda Superb model, and we are preparing the audiovisual presentation of the projects connected to this year’s anniversary of Mister Jan Hus’ death. For the end of the year, we want to arrange one more classical music concert. Also, we are diligently preparing for the upcoming year, which will mark the 700th birthday of King Charles IV. With selected Luxembourg partners, we are discussing the arrangement of a series of conferences on the topic, exhibitions, and a medieval music concert. We would like to enhance awareness and deepen the knowledge of Luxembourgers, especially the young generation, on the personality of King Charles IV. Let´s talk some numbers now – Luxembourg is the fourth biggest foreign investor in the Czech Republic. Regarding the trade of goods, it is the 45th most important export partner of the Czech Republic, and 38th regarding imports. For Luxembourg, the Czech Republic is the 19th most important supplier and 16th most important purchaser. These are interesting numbers. Yes, you are right; these are interesting numbers, especially if we count per citizen (when possible). Otherwise, the Luxembourg market is small, not only in area but in the number of people as well. And so no dramatic increase of export or import may be expected. On the other hand, if you consider the so-called Great Region, consisting of Luxembourg, Belgian Wallonia, French Lorraine, and German Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate, you have a market which represents an area of more than 65 thousand km2 with 11.3 million inhabitants. At the same time, it is a reference market, where you can test potential interest in your products or services in four countries at one go. What are the benefits of having permanent representation in the country? Besides the traditional role of all our representative offices abroad, which is to protect the interests of the Czech Republic and its citizens abroad, and to promote our country, I think every embassy should be helpful in establishing contacts between individual business subjects of both countries, i.e. opening the right doors, and in creating a positive environment for business. Searching for potential business opportunities for Czech subjects, and support of the development of economic diplomacy, will surely be among my priorities in Luxembourg. What I mean by that is searching for more sophisticated forms of trade and economic cooperation, for example through the connection of Czech know-how with Luxembourg´s financial potency and experience, rather than just the simple support of our export growth. That is because I can see some logical limitations here in the local market’s limited capacity for absorption. However, Czech representation in Luxembourg is quite small. I think the size of our team is quite sufficient and corresponds with the tasks we are supposed to follow, as well as the priorities we set ourselves.
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