US Secretary of State Pompeo to kick off European tour with a visit to the Czech Republic

UPDATED: Washington, Aug 5 (CTK) — US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced an upcoming visit to the Czech Republic at a press conference Wednesday.

Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek (Social Democrats, CSSD) told public Czech Radio Radiozurnal on Thursday that he will arrive in Prague on Tuesday, August 11, and meet Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis (ANO) the following day.

The American team is to arrive in the Czech Republic Thursday to prepare the details of Pompeo’s visit, Deputy PM and Finance Minister Alena Schillerova (for ANO), replacing Babis during his holiday, told the Blesk Zpravy server.

Besides, Pompeo’s meeting with Babis, a meeting with President Milos Zeman is not ruled out, Schillerova said.

The main issue of the talks during Pompeo’s visit will be security cooperation between the Czech Republic and the United States, Petricek told Radiozurnal.

Both countries’ politicians will also debate business relations and regional cooperation, since, will be visiting three additional Central European countries, Poland, Austria, and Slovenia.

“Both teams, the Czech and American ones, will be preparing a detailed program at the Government Office on Friday,” Schillerova added.

Pompeo and Babis will also discuss the security of the 5G mobile networks and associated relations with China.

In May, both politicians signed declaration, from a distance, that aimed to create a mechanism for seeking reliable and trustworthy suppliers for 5G networks, protect them from harm and manipulations, and secure the protection of privacy and the citizens’ rights.

This year, Pompeo was considering traveling to the Czech Republic to attend the annual celebrations of the liberation of Plzen by the US army, held annually in the West Bohemian town. His visit was scrapped due to the coronavirus pandemic.

During Pompeo’s European tour, he will also address the announced withdrawal of American soldiers from Germany.

Last week, the US military announced that 12,000 troops would be sent home from Germany on the order of President Donald Trump.

Poland would like some of those troops to relocate to its territory.

Pompeo will visit Poland on August 15, which is the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Warsaw. In August 1920, the Polish forces defeated the Red Army and it was the first of the victories that secured Poland’s independence in the Polish-Soviet War.