EU will sing a different tune under Czechs

The voice of the European Union in world affairs is likely to be muffled now the Czech Republic has taken over the bloc's rotating presidency.

Young people celebrate the New Year under the Prague's pendulum and lighting, symbol of the EU.

LONDON // The voice of the European Union in world affairs is likely to be muffled now that the Czech Republic has taken over the bloc's rotating presidency from France, whose energetic president, Nicolas Sarkozy, set a hectic pace over the past six months. Mr Sarkozy stepped in to the power vacuum created by the decline of George W Bush's presidency: defusing the Russia-Georgia conflict, helping to end Syria's diplomatic isolation and accusing Israel of "disproportionate use of force" in its assault on the Gaza Strip, in sharp contrast to Washington's refusal to criticise Israel. Mr Sarkozy is credited in Brussels with a bravura performance that held the bloc together at a time of unprecedented economic crisis and sharp differences over energy policy and relations with Russia. But no such fireworks are expected from the Czech Republic, whose six-month term began yesterday. A medium-sized country of 10 million that joined in 2004, it is still uneasy as a member of the 27-nation bloc. The transfer of the presidency - "the face and voice" of the bloc - to Prague was marked by a small symbolic act - the illumination in EU colours of a giant pendulum that stands on a plinth once occupied by a statue of Joseph Stalin. In the eyes of some EU commentators, the Czechs are ill-suited to represent the EU at a time of global crisis, particularly in the Middle East. The government of Mirek Topolanek, the prime minister, is weak and could collapse at any moment. Vaclav Klaus, the president and a provocative Eurosceptic who has a largely ceremonial role, refuses to fly the bloc's blue and gold flag from Prague Castle, saying his country is "not a province of the EU". These internal quarrels are as nothing, however, to the Czech government's views on the Middle East, which are more in tune with Washington than Paris. This week, Karel Schwartzenberg, the Czech foreign minister, staunchly defended Israel's "right to defend itself" against Hamas rockets. "Hamas increased steeply the number of rockets fired at Israel since the ceasefire ended on December 19. That is not acceptable any more," he said in an interview with the Prague newspaper Mlada Fronta Dnes. Declaring that he enjoyed "the luxury of telling the truth," he asked: "Why am I one of the few that have expressed understanding for Israel?" As the face and voice of the EU, he will now be expected to stick to a more nuanced position. Mr Schwartzenberg had hoped to be able to organise an EU-Israel summit over the coming months, in the face of opposition from other member states. Now he will have a more urgent task - articulating an EU policy on the crisis at a time when Washington seems content to let the Israelis try to destroy Hamas. He is expected to visit Israel next week. "It will be difficult. The Czechs will have to find a common EU position concerning the Israeli attacks and think up a solution to the acute humanitarian situation," said Jana Hybaskova, a Czech member of the European Parliament. The Czechs' internal political problems, their lack of experience abroad and their obsession with their own history have all led Brussels insiders to expect a bumpy ride over the next six months. The run-up to the Czech presidency has been tinged with farce. Last month, a European parliamentarian offered Mr Klaus a small EU flag to make up for the lack of one flying over his castle. Mr Klaus angrily compared the behaviour of the EU to the Soviet Union, which dominated Czechoslovakia - as the country was then known - until 1989. In an act seen as heresy in Brussels, Mr Klaus went out of his way in November to meet Declan Ganley, leader of the successful No campaign in the Irish referendum last year that stopped ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, a document designed to streamline EU decision-making and raise its international profile. Mr Klaus defended his action, saying it was right for one "EU dissident" - as he described himself - to meet another. The Czech Republic and Ireland are the only EU countries that have not ratified the treaty. Alexandr Vondra, the Czech minister for European affairs, said: "We are rational people. So don't expect any kind of a mess here." But Mr Vondra has set the bar low, not making any claims to leave a lasting mark on the EU. Already the diffidence of the Czechs stands in sharp contrast to the energy and drive of Mr Sarkozy. While the EU baton has passed formally to Prague, many eyes will be fixed on France. Mr Sarkozy has announced he is going on Monday to Egypt, the West Bank and Israel, and then to Syria and Lebanon. According to the French president's office, there is "perfect co-ordination" between Paris and Prague. But his unstoppable momentum will be seen as proof by the EU's Big Three - Britain, France and Germany - that they should call the shots in a crisis, with the smaller countries tagging along behind. Other countries will lament once again that EU institutions are not up to coping with a real crisis. [e-mail]