Slovak,Czech ForMins want youth to better know the other language

Slovakia is the first foreign country Kohout (unaffiliated, nominated by the Czech Social Democrats, CSSD) visited after his appointment as minister on Friday.

The Czechs and Slovaks shared a common state, Czechoslovakia, in 1918-1992, and their languages are close to each other.

Lajcak and Kohout today also agreed on increasing mutual use of diplomatic missions abroad by Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

They agreed that Czech-Slovak relations are especially close, but mainly children have more and more problems to understand the other nation's language. Their proficiency could be improved by students' stays, for example, Lajcak said at a press conference.

Kohout said the boosting of "mutual" language proficiency is a long-term project which already his predecessor at the Czech ministerial post, Karel Schwarzenberg, discussed with his Slovak counterpart.

Lajcak said directors of the two countries' consular authorities are to prepare an agreement on mutual use of diplomatic missions. He did not specify when the agreement should be signed or how it should help Czech and Slovaks travelling abroad.

EU membership enables citizens of individual member states to use another state's diplomatic and consular protection in a country where they do not have a diplomatic mission of their own.

Kohout, former Czech ambassador to the EU and deputy foreign minister, is a member of the Czech caretaker government that was appointed on May 8 and is expected to bring the country to early elections in October.

Slovakia also became the first foreign destination of the previous Czech prime minister, Mirek Topolanek, as well the incumbent Czech president, Vaclav Klaus.

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz