Czech leader critiques globalization
By Katherine Kelman
The Stanford Daily (Stanford U.)
11/06/2001

(U-WIRE) STANFORD, Calif. — Milos Zeman, prime minister of the Czech Republic, addressed globalization in a world radically changed by the Sept. 11 attacks and emphasized his nation's solidarity with the United States during a speech yesterday at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.

The talk, entitled "Czech Republic and United Europe in the Globalized World," materialized as a result of the prime minister's tour of the U.S.

The Czech Consulate contacted Stanford last month, and the Center for Russian and East European Studies agreed to host the event.

Zeman began his speech by saying that the title of his talk "is good for hundreds of boring essays about globalization."

"But the world has changed since Sept. 11, and we'll speak of globalization not in terms of 'globalization for ' but 'globalization against,' " he said.

He explained that the Czech Republic has had extensive experience with appeasement policy and "knows that there is no chance to negotiate with terrorists of any sort. There is only one solution, though hardly acceptable - to fight."

Zeman said the U.S. may soon begin to hesitate and discontinue its bombing of Afghanistan in order to negotiate with the Taliban.

"If the free world stops bombing," he said, "it will open the opportunity for new attacks by new successors of Osama [bin Laden]. Thus it is necessary to react by acts, not words; that is globalization. One world is globalized against another."

"We need to fight for freedom against people who do not accept freedom," Zeman said, adding that the fight will be long and difficult and that courage and concrete help are necessary to avoid any temptation of negotiation.

The Czech Republic has offered military assistance to the U.S., including two planes and a chemical unit, according to Zeman.

"I wish you courage, and, deep in my heart, I do believe we shall overcome someday," he said.

Zeman also spoke about globalization with regard to his country and the European Union.

"Globalization is not a panacea," he said. "It is simply a challenge, an opportunity, not the solution of the lack of ability of any country."

Long-term profit from globalization is possible only when a country takes responsibility for its economic performance, Zeman said. Only with the current improvement of the economic situation has the Czech Republic gained the ability to talk about integration, he added.

"I want an integrated Europe, and the Czech Republic is part of the Central European region that I hope will join the EU in the next three or four years," he said.

Mary Dakin, assistant director of CREES and one of the organizers of the event, described Zeman's speech as "conceptual and thoughtful."

"It showed that he is more than just a political figure," she said.

"He is a relatively controversial man," she added, "and I was surprised at how comfortable he was in the public eye, very skilled and charming."

An experienced economist, Zeman participated with Vaclav Havel in the 1990 Civic Forum to overthrow the Communist regime. He became the chair of the Social Democratic Party in 1993 and in 1998 was appointed prime minister of the government of the Czech Republic by Havel, now the nation's president.

He was introduced yesterday by Jan Triska, emeritus professor of political science, as "not a talking head, but a responsible individual who is running the show."

Many Czech nationals, as well as the Czech ambassador to the U.S., attended the speech.

A number of Stanford graduates and undergraduates were also present.

"I was pleased to see students," Dakin said. "They are a group we are always trying to reach."

Copyright ©2001 The Stanford Daily via UWire

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