Czech foreign minister, delegate to the Convention for the Governement

Jan Kavan is a very diplomatic person. His father was diplomat but executed in a communist process in 1953. Jan Kavan studied in and worked in London, therefore he is appreciated for his English knowledge. After the revolution 1989 he returned to Czechoslovakia and enterned the renewed Social Democrat Party. His family was traditionally social.democratic. When the party won the election, in 1998, he became foreign minister. Immediatly after the nomination, some accussations appeared about his collaboration from London witk Secret Communist Police.He denied everything and no one proved.

His activity at the Foreign Ministry does not sign itself with a strong line. For example during the war in 1999, on the first hand he supported NATO strikes and on the other, he cooperated with Greec on special non- military solution iniciativ.
The only line in his policy was the way to NATO and EU. Finally he and his friend – Madelaine Albright put the effort to the end. As to EU accession he made a good heap of work. Especially his secretary, the chief negociator – Pavel Telička – succeeded in many talks with the Comission. Jan Kavan is well accepted by EU politicians. His relation with Gunter Verheugen is more than excellent. Jan Kavan will defend in the Convention the idea of federation and creatinf federal Constitution. He is also good at compromises, so he´ll be trying to confute extremists´voices.

You can also read his biography, in german, on the website europa-digital.de