Friends and interests

Czech Amb. to the U.S. Petr Kolář told Czech Radio that countries don't have friends; they have interests and create alliances to promote them. Herein lies a partial explanation for the Švejk-like multipolarity of Czech foreign policy. Contrary to the diplomatic axiom voiced by Kolář, Czech leaders tend to have friends first and to allow their own interests - or those of the nation - to be influenced by these friends. That's why it often seems that Czech government officials are either blind to what is happening in the world or are mercenaries working for the side that offers the most. Czechs aren't alone in this, of course. There's Gerhard Schröder in Germany, to give a specific example. The Georgian crisis, as dangerous as it is for the CR and Europe, has one bright spot. It has the potential to make the country's leaders cast aside their personal interests and to take an honest, hard look at where the Czech nation is today and where it wants to end up tomorrow.