Tags:
Journalism of Courage
PRAGUE, SEPT 26: A suggestion by ailing President Vaclav Havel that the Czech-born United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright might succeed him as Czech head of state, was made 8220;quite seriously8221;, Czech officials told AFP.
A presidential spokesman said Friday that the idea had occurred to Havel when he was flying back from a visit to the US on September 19. Four days ago, Havel mentioned the possibility on Czech radio. He said Havel had not discussed the idea with Albright.
Two other personalities, Senate Speaker Petr Pithart and the Deputy Speaker of the Lower House Petra Buzkova, garnered a mere 10 per cent of support among those questioned.
Withoutopposing Havel8217;s choice, other newspapers noted that US state secrets held by Albright would be incompatible with her becoming head of state of another country.
They pointed out too that Albright could not be Czech President unless she became a Czech national.
Albright, who was born Marie Korbelova in Prague in May 1937, lost her Czechoslovak nationality when her father, a diplomat, emigrated to the US with his family after the Communist takeover in Prague in 1948.
Former prime Minister Vaclav Klaus, however, said suggesting Albright for president was 8220;in bad taste8221;.
According to Lidove Noviny, one possible reason why Havel suggested a successor, was that he was considering stepping down on health grounds before the end of his five-year mandate.
Havel, 62, who was re-elected president in January, had a cancerous tumour removed from his lung in December 1996 and has suffered recurring serious health problems ever since.
His spokesman emphatically denied Friday a report that Havel could announcehis resignation in his traditional New Year speech to the nation.
