Prague, April 14 (CTK) – The security of the Czech Republic is not endangered after the air strike of the USA, Britain and France in Syria and Czechs at the embassy in Damascus and within the Golan Heights mission are in order, Defence Minister Karla Slechtova (ANO) told journalists today.
Slechtova spoke after today’s meeting of the emergency staff of the Defence Ministery called over the situation in the wake of the allied night strike in Syria.
“We have checked the security of our soldiers at the Golan Heights. In cooperation with the Foreign Ministry we also spoke about the security of our citizens at the embassy in Damascus,” Slechtova said.
“I am personally in contact with the ambassador, Eva Filipi, and everyone is in order,” she added.
She said the air strike by the USA, Britain and France was a retaliation for the use of chemical arms by Syria.
Slechtova stressed that the Czech Republic condemned the use of chemical arms in the long run.
“As we are informed, the air strike did not pursue the objective of toppling the regime in the country, but it was purely a retaliation for the use of chemical arms,” she added.
She said the relevant bodies would keep monitoring the situation.
The Czech soldiers at the Golan Heights take part part in the UNDOF mission separating Israel and Syria.
The Czech Republic is the only EU country to keep its embassy in Damascus.
The work of the Czech embassy and the role of Ambassador Eva Filipi is indispensable, the Czech Foreign Ministry has said, reacting to demands that it be closed as it might legitimise Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
Along with providing consular services for the USA and the EU, the embassy also gains information on the development in the country,
“The USA, Britain and France have made it quite clear that one cannot tolerate the use of chemical arms,” Slechtova said after the air strike.
“The impact of the attack on civilians was minimised,” she added.