RIYADH, 24 January 2004 — There has been a steep rise in the number of visas issued by the Czech Embassy to Saudis traveling to the Czech Republic. Many of these have been for treatment at the many health spas outside Prague, according to Second Secretary Miloslav Stasek.
In an interview before he left the Kingdom last Wednesday for a new posting as deputy head of mission in Kuwait, Stasek said that Saudis have also been traveling to the Central European country for tourism.
“Saudis have been engaged in travel and tourism business and recommending Saudi tourists to the Czech Republic. One of these local businessmen happened to be a paralytic who was cured by Czech spas. He set up a travel and tourism agency and he has regularly been sending tourists there,” Stasek told Arab News.
He added that the Czech Republic abounds with tourist destinations and that a building in Karlovy Vivary has been constructed with a floor intended only for Saudi visitors who want to stay for an extended period.
The Czech Embassy held a farewell party for behalf of Stasek on Wednesday night. He is remembered for having played pivotal roles as the deputy to former Ambassador Vaclav Frybert, now retired, and current envoy Ambassador Zdenek Polacek. Stasek is credited with strengthening the bilateral ties between the Kingdom and the Czech Republic.
The bilateral ties in various fields have grown. Bilateral trade has crossed the $38 million mark.
The Czech Republic and Saudi Arabia have also signed agreements in security, education, and health care, among others.
“Probably the most important event which I was involved in was the preparations for the visit to Saudi Arabia of then president Vaclav Havel,” said Stasek.
“Needless to say, that was a historic visit, the former president’s first to Saudi Arabia.”
Stasek was also instrumental in arranging the visit to the Kingdom in September 2001 of a six-member delegation headed by First Deputy Minister of Interior Peter Ebl, now a Member of Parliament.
He was also involved in the visits to the Czech Republic in connection with the setting up of Saudi Arabia’s mission in Prague, with Prince Mansour bin Khalid Al-Farhan Al-Saud as the first Saudi envoy in the Central European country.
In October last year, he helped organize the visit to the Kingdom of Education Deputy Minster Peter Kolar who led a delegation of university presidents.
“The delegation members met with officials of the Saudi Ministry of Higher Education and an agreement will be signed,” Stasek said.
At the end of February this year, a delegation led by Czech Police Academy president Ms. Hana Bartosova will visit the Kingdom, followed in March by a visit from Ms. Helena Illnerova, president of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic.
“I won’t be around during those last two visits but it’s nice to think I helped in make them possible,” he said.
