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2 articles: Czech and Austrian President's comments on Temelin
Czech President Havel on Temelin, Labor Movement: Comment
Prague, Dec. 20 (Bloomberg) -- Following are comments by Czech
President Vaclav Havel on the new Czech nuclear power plant in
Temelin, which sparked protests from neighboring Austria, and on
Germany's proposal to put off by seven years free movement of labor
from new European Union members that are set to join the block later
this decade.
President Havel spoke during a break in a meeting with Austrian
President Thomas Klestil in Prague.
On Temelin:
``We shared the same opinion that some bilateral problems, it doesn't
matter how serious, should not be always tied with the process of the
(European Union's) enlargement or the efforts of the candidate
countries.
``The main thing is that the plant is really safe so that our
Austrian neighbors have as few reasons as possible for fearing it. In
Europe, there are many nuclear power plants and Temelin must be as
safe as the others. As the newest one, it should be even the safest
one.
``I understand the worries of Austrians, understand their fear and
believe that it's necessary to respect it. I respect even their right
for various demonstrations at the borders. I just think that the
demonstrations should not be supported and allowed in such a way that
they later lead to blocking the borders. This doesn't bring anything
else than that citizens hurt citizens and merchants hurt merchants.''
``I will admit that I don't quite understand that fear of the inflow
of cheap labor force from the Czech Republic to Germany . . . They
won't accept too-low wages (if coming to Germany) since they'll have
to spend a lot of money for more expensive housing, food and
everything. If there are different expenditures, there are also
different wage requests. I don't think that Czechs intend to emigrate
massively to Germany and if somebody comes there for work, I'm not
sure he or she would be that cheap of a labor force.''
--------------------
Czech N-plant not an EU issue - Austrian President
PRAGUE, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Austria should not tie a dispute over the
Czech Temelin nuclear power plant to the Czech Republic's bid to
enter the European Union, Austrian President Thomas Klestil said on
Wednesday.
"I am convinced that the issue should not be attached to the Czech
accession negotiations," Klestil, on a one-day visit to Prague, told
reporters after a meeting with Czech President Vaclav Havel.
Relations between the Czech Republic and Austria have been strained
since October, when the Czechs launched the Soviet designed nuclear
plant, which lies about 60 kilometres (37 miles) from the border of
fiercely anti-nuclear Austria.
The Austrians, who say the plant is unsafe and should be closed,
responded with demonstrations blocking all border crossings between
the two countries.
But the two presidents, looking to put the row behind them, said the
most important point was that both Austria and the Czech Republic
continue discussing the issue until both are satisfied that the
plant, which has been upgraded with western safety systems, is safe.
"The main thing is that Temelin be as safe as possible," Havel said.
"There are many nuclear power plants in Europe, but Temelin, due to
the fact that it is the newest, should also be the safest."
Both presidents agreed that, although Austrian demonstrators had a
right to protest against the plant, hindering the free movement of
goods and traffic over the border was not the solution.
Klestil applauded the outcome of last week's meeting of Czech Premier
Milos Zeman and Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel as a
"significant first step" in the communication process.
At the meeting near Vienna, Zeman and Schuessel agreed that the Czech
Republic would allow a reassessment of the plant for safety and its
environmental impact under the supervision of the European
Commission.
Nonetheless, Klestil said he could understand the fears of the people
in the area after having seen a memorial to victims of the Chernobyl
disaster during a recent visit to Kiev.
"Everything must be done in order to ensure the highest degree of
security," he said.
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