China, PPF and Czech foreign policy
Before he joined the foreign ministry, Petr Drulák wrote in a book on foreign policy that the economic elite in today's world act as an oligarchy promoting private interests over those of the public. This oligarchy represents a decline in legitimate power, he argued, and he added that servicing oligarchs has become the purpose of Czech politics. Not a hint of this frame of reference was present in Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek's speech to Czech ambassadors yesterday. Never did he say that Czech policy towards China and Russia is dictated by the interests of PPF. He did, though, point to the troubles now faced by the BRICS countries, of which China and Russia are two. As we witness a meltdown in China, isn't it time to ask to what degree it was wise to adopt a foreign policy based largely on the private interests of a few oligarchs? Drulák might have been sidelined at the ministry, but his message in this vein is as valid as ever.
Glossary of difficult words
book - "Politika nezájmu: Česko a Západ v krizi";frame of reference - way of looking at things;
BRICS - Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa;
meltdown - a disastrous event, esp. a rapid fall in share prices;
to sideline someone - to remove someone from the center of activity or attention;
in this vein - in this respect or regard.