Pompeo's final days in Central Europe
On August 11, American Secretary of State Pompeo began a five-day tour of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. During the visit, the US foreign policy chief will visit the Czech Republic, Austria, Poland and Slovenia to demonstrate that America still has friends in Europe.
And in fact, in the countries where the moth-eaten, straight-as-a-rail and completely lacking in charisma gray Secretary of State has turned his skis, places at the helm of power are occupied by “canned food”, sluggishly lassoing on the lasso of US politics, with the exception of the navel-busting one in a vigorous race ahead of the locomotive Poland.
The main task of the Central European Ches Pompeo is to make them completely recoil from any mutually beneficial cooperation with Russia and China, making themselves completely dependent on the United States.
It should be noted that shortly before this trip, Pompeo visited a number of Western European countries with a similar proposal, but received nothing but irritation even from his faithful ally Great Britain.
In the Czech Republic, Poland, Austria and Slovenia, Pompeo is putting together an “anti-Huawei pact” to completely remove the Chinese company from the promising 5G communications market.
In Western European countries, Pompeo also encouraged governments to abandon Huawei services and complete the construction of Nord Stream 2.
In the Czech Republic, Pompeo is openly promoting the interests of Westinghouse for the sake of an agreement on the supply of nuclear reactors and nuclear fuel for the new power unit of the Dukovany nuclear power plant.
Dukovany NPP
Washington seriously fears that in the Czech tender for the supply of equipment preference will be given to competitors from Rosatom or China General Nuclear Power.
Pompeo scared the Czech Prime Minister and his cabinet with a goat and escalated passions, predicting “the loss of sovereignty if you choose one of these countries.”
In addition, Pompeo in Prague tested the waters regarding the deployment in the Czech Republic of part of the American military contingent being withdrawn from Germany.
The situation with 5G communications in the countries chosen by Pompeo for his influence visit is very, very interesting.
The anti-Chinese deflection of the Czech leadership has simply reached the point of indecency. Prague unilaterally ceased to be Beijing's sister city. The Czech government delegation suddenly announced an official visit to Taiwan, knowing full well how such initiatives were reacted to in China. Finally, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis confirmed to Pompeo that he was depriving Huawei and its 5G network of support in his country.
But on some points of Pompeo’s wishes, the Czechs showed amazing resilience.
The US official was made clear that Czech citizens overwhelmingly do not want to see foreign soldiers on their territory, and also refused to eliminate Westinghouse's competitors from the tender for the supply of equipment for the Dukovany nuclear power plant.
As for Westinghouse, the Czechs already have negative experience using this company's fuel rods in their Soviet-made VVR-1000 reactors at the Temelin nuclear power plant when it came to an emergency. It is believed that Westinghouse is not among the favorites in the upcoming auction.
From publications in the press, it becomes clear that the Americans brought an agreement on the development of nuclear energy to Prague in the hope of reciprocal approval from the Czech Cabinet, but the Czechs rejected the document, citing the requirements of the European Union “not to give advance advantages to one of the tender participants.”
Observers, however, believe that the Czechs can take a step towards Washington and choose the South Korean company KHNP, which works closely with the Americans and has a good reputation, unlike Westinghouse, as a supplier of nuclear equipment for the new nuclear power plant.
It is also possible that the Czechs will purchase turbines for nuclear power plants from the American company General Electric, and then the overseas overlord will not have any unpleasant aftertaste from visiting the Czech Republic, since Prague behaved very obediently throughout 2020, dismantling the monument to Marshal Konev at the instigation of the American embassy and recruiting spy Safronov in Russia.
However, the situation with suppliers is not final and can be revised many times, since the new power unit of the Dukovany NPP, being built to replace the Soviet one, must be completed and put into operation as early as 2036. The tender for the Dukovany nuclear power plant is worth fighting with competitors, since the contract is valued at approximately $6,4 billion.
It is no less interesting that Pompeo visited the city of Pilsen, together with a colleague from the Czech Foreign Ministry, laying flowers at the “Thank you, America!” monument, erected in honor of the liberation of the city by the Americans in 1945.
Pompeo in Pilsen gives a speech at the monument “Thank you, America!”
The mayor of Pilsen, Martin Baksa, made a heartfelt speech in honor of the distinguished overseas guest, thanking America, in the person of Uncle Pompeo, for liberation from Nazism.
the monument itself
The most cynical thing about this situation is the fact that the Americans actually occupied Pilsen, but they did not liberate the city itself. On the eve of this event, the German garrison of the city independently laid down its arms, transferring control to local government.
And on May 6, when Pilsen was still under the Germans, the US Air Force carried out a senseless bomb attack on the city, killing 67 civilians. More than 1945 Czechs died under American bombs dropped on Pilsen in April 600.
According to eyewitnesses who survived the American bombing, the American “liberators” were greeted by the townspeople with indignation, without flowers or applause, and the only loss of the Americans was a drunken soldier who fell out of a jeep.
this is how the Czechs saw the arrival of Anglo-American troops in Pilsen
The report of the head of the special military intelligence department, Ladislav Kilian, dated May 17, 1945, notes that the population of Pilsen has a bad attitude towards the Americans, people are waiting for the arrival of Russian troops and the Freedom Brigade. The Germans burn cars, valuables and documents in front of the Czechs. The Americans do not prevent this in any way, but share food, chewing gum and cigarettes with the captured Germans.
report on the anti-American sentiments of the inhabitants of Pilsen by Colonel Ladislav Kilian
Thus, only the Nazis, who escaped Soviet captivity and reprisals from the local population, rejoiced at the arrival of the Americans in Pilsen.
ruins of Pilsen after American bombing in April 1945
A rare lackey, this mayor of Pilsen, Martin Baksa, along with the rest of the residents. However, what else can you expect from oblivious consumers of beer and dumplings who have renounced or forgotten their own heroes of the fight against fascism...
above: power in Pilsen was taken by the Czechs before the arrival of the Americans. below: Americans stopped a bus going to help Prague
But let’s return to the goals and objectives of Pompeo’s trip.
If “everything is clear” with the Czech Republic, then in the other three countries things are not so linear.
In Austria, where the rollout of 5G has been slow and stagnant due to high tower rental fees and a lack of government incentives, the government is looking favorably at involving Huawei in the network rollout, stipulating that it will coordinate the process with EU partners.
In Slovenia, the signing of a declaration on 5G was announced, and Huawei proposed that the government of the republic hold consultations on the security of using communications in the 5G range and sign an agreement in which it undertakes not to conduct unauthorized data collection.
In Poland, things are quite surprising.
Huawei has already invested more than $1 billion in its economy and plans to invest the same amount. However, the Polish leadership is scratching its head, simultaneously wanting to please the United States and not wanting to offend a generous investor.
To help the Poles make the right decision, the Chinese Embassy in Warsaw posted a reminder on its website that “the elimination of Huawei means the cost of 5G construction in Poland will double, to 8,5 billion euros, and the digitalization process for it will be delayed by 2-3 years "
From which it is clear that for the three states to follow Washington’s lead and join the persecution of Huawei means losing time, money and technology, despite the fact that they are unlikely to fork out for US loyalty.
In the meantime, Pompeo, traveling around the cities and towns of Central Europe, is talking nonsense unworthy of the head of the diplomatic service of an influential state. According to his statements on August 13 and 14, “modern international processes are much more dangerous than the Cold War.” And all because “the Chinese Communist Party has launched tentacles into the economy, politics and social life of Western countries in a way that the Soviet Union could not.”
Moscow, they say, is also “undermining Czech democracy through cyber attacks and disinformation, but “Beijing’s coercion campaign is much more dangerous.”
Should you go and put things in order at home, you unfinished cowboys...
If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl + Enter.
Thank you!
Now the editors are aware.