Mr Ambassador, Ladies and Gentlemen, dear American friends,

I am pleased to be here – for the fifth time as President of the Czech Republic – with all of you and to join you in celebrating this very unique day – the Independence Day of the United States of America.

I have to start with mentioning what – I suppose – we all know, with saying that the relations between the Czech Republic and the United States are – now, already for more than 17 years – very good, very intensive and very friendly. What is even more important is that the relationship is very dynamic. The time that elapsed between the last two Independence Days was again characterized by new events and by new issues, which begin to dominate our mutual agenda.

We now talk more than before about visas on the one hand, and about the possible deployment of the American radar base on the Czech territory on the other. We hope that both will be solved. We are deeply convinced that the American presence in Europe has been of key importance for stability, security and prosperity of this continent. The Czech Republic, because of its rather complicated history, feels very strongly about this.

I am pleased to say that the recent visit of President Bush in Prague visibly demonstrated the quality of friendship between our two countries.

Mr Ambassador, I usually come to this beautiful garden only once a year but this is not my this year’s first visit of the American land. In January I visited Chicago, in March Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, as well as Washington D.C. The same is true for many of us who gathered here today.

When I spoke here last year, I tried to interpret the indecisive outcome of our parliamentary elections and expressed my hope that the negotiations were going to lead to a viable political solution. These difficult negotiations were completed and a rather tricky solution of this puzzle was found. Our friends abroad can rely on our political stability. Our foreign policy is and will remain stable, foreseeable and transparent. The positions of the Czech President and the Czech government are heading in one direction. That’s a good news for all our friends, as well as for the people in this country.

I wish you, Mr Ambassador, all of you here and all the American people, 231 years after the United States gained its independence, a lot of success, prosperity and peace.

Václav Klaus, 231th Independence Day of the United States of America, June 28, 2007