Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Defense, diplomacy complicate divorce for Czechoslovakia Date: Wed, 18 Nov 92 16:10:35 EST Message-ID: \SE A;WORLD \HD Defense, diplomacy complicate divorce for Czechoslovakia \BY Andrew Borowiec \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES Less than six weeks before Czechoslovakia splits into two states, Czechs and Slovaks are locked in a dispute over how to coordinate their defense and foreign policies. The argument risks marring what has been billed as a "velvet divorce," the unexpected consequence of the 1989 Velvet Revolution, which freed the country from the grip of communism but released pent-up nationalism. Describing a process that will change the map of central Europe, Ambassador Michael Zantovsky said this week that despite disagreements, the protagonists feel that the split "should do no harm to anyone" and that "the process should be as smooth and harmless as possible." Mr. Zantovsky is the last envoy to Washington of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic, which after 74 years will become separate, sovereign Czech and Slovak states Jan. 1. Both sides want to move closer to the European Community and join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and any new security arrangements that take shape in the post-Cold War period. Each is committed to "a radical economic transformation into a free-market system," Mr. Zantovsky said. Vaclav Havel, who helped launch the Velvet Revolution and served as Czechoslovakia's first post-communism president until the summer, said yesterday that he will run for the presidency of the Czech republic. "I am aware of my responsibility for the political situation in this country, and I therefore want to influence it," he said in Prague. A recent opinion poll said 57 percent of Czechs favor his candidacy. In Washington, Mr. Zantovsky addressed area specialists and members of the Czech and Slovak communities. He described his cool, unemotional review as the "obituary" of a country that was the envy of some of its neighbors. Although the split "is a story of defeat," Mr. Zantovsky emphasized the positive side: "A state divides through agreement and negotiation rather than conflict." Yugoslavia is an example of a country splitting through conflict. The main problem to be resolved involves defense and foreign policy, Mr. Zantovsky said. The Slovaks want a joint defense but separate foreign policies; the Czechs say the two are linked. The issue has been deadlocked while parliament, which operates under the old communist constitution, adopts a bill dissolving the federation. Barring last-minute hitches, the vote will take place next week, Mr. Zantovsky said. He blamed the separation on years of frustrated autonomy efforts by Slovaks, who are a third of the federation's 15 million people. Although the Czechs wanted a "functioning federation" to keep the country together, "positions have become irreconcilable, and it was clear that a separation was inevitable." Forcing unity "would only lead to strife and conflict," Mr. Zantovsky said, citing the turmoil in former Yugoslavia. "None of the links will be needlessly disturbed," he said. They include social security payments, free movement of people and recognition of educational degrees. During the initial period, the two countries will have one currency. Then a conversion system will be worked out based on the population and property in each republic. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM