US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright returns to the land of her birth Sunday to honor one of its founding fathers -- but not, she insists, to plan her return as Czech president.
Published:
5 March 2000 y., Sunday
But despite her reluctance, Czech President Vaclav Havel at least is expected to ask about her presidential plans when the two meet at his Prague castle residence.
Albright, born Marie Korbelova in 1937 in what was then Czechoslovakia, will spend three days in the Czech Republic notably paying tribute to the first Czechoslovak President Tomas Masaryk who died in 1937 aged 87.
Speculation that the trip in fact marked the start of a bid to succeed Czech President Vaclav Havel reached fever pitch last month after a report in the US magazine Time.
The report, citing unidentified officials, said Albright was considering the possibility of running for the Czech presidency once the second Clinton term is over at the end of this year.
But, after a series of denials by her spokesman, Albright appeared to kill the speculation stone dead on the eve of her arrival.
"I am very flattered by the speculation that I might be considered a serious candidate in the future for the presidency of the Czech Republic," she said in a statement released via the US embassy in Prague.
"However, I am not and will not be a candidate for that high office, for which I am sure there will be no shortage of highly-qualified Czech men and women," she added.
Among those most disappointed by Albright_s comments will be 63-year-old Havel.
Šaltinis:
Agence France Presse
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