Strategic Dialogue between U.S. and Czech Republic

Prague, August 28, 2008

The Czech Republic and the United States will hold our first-ever strategic dialogue in Washington, D.C. on September 4th. Deputy Foreign Minister Tomas Pojar will be the senior member of the Czech delegation while Under Secretary William Burns will lead the American contingent. The United States is confident the dialogue will continue the process of deepening the strong economic, political and security ties between our two nations.

Among the broad range of bilateral and multinational issues within the relationship that the representatives will discuss:

• U.S.-Czech defense and security collaboration, which will encompass missile defense, ongoing NATO activities and our military cooperation in Afghanistan.
• The Czech Republic’s priorities during its European Union presidency and engagement with the United States during the Czech tenure
• Consultations on regional issues
• Strategies for achieving energy security, which will include the diversification of energy sources; the development of effective conservation, renewable and alternative energy strategies; and the establishment of feasible policies to address climate change
• Promotion of democracy and human rights 

In view of the deepening cooperation between the United States and the Czech Republic in bilateral and international fora, our two countries resolved in February of this year to enter a strategic dialogue.  This setting gives policymakers a chance to review the entire bilateral relationship, discuss areas of mutual interest and identify areas of future cooperation.

The U.S. considers strategic dialogues an important supplemental means of communicating respective approaches to policy, over and beyond the daily exchange of communications.  The U.S. currently maintains strategic dialogues with Australia, China, Israel, Japan, Norway and Saudi Arabia.