Brussels, 19/10/2000 (Agence Europe) - Mr Verheugen, European Commissioner responsible for Enlargement and Mr Kavan Czech Minister for Foreign Affairs, left their meeting, on Wednesday, assuring that the various ideas and proposals of the meetings, which the Commissioner will pass on to Vienna, had been considered to try and end the dispute between Austria and the Czech Republic over the Temelin nuclear power station and the road blocks organised by Austria demonstrators at the Austria-Czech border, against the starting up of this power station. The inflexible attitude of Mr Kavan over the blockades leaves the impression of difficult discussions. The Czech Minister for Foreign Affairs, while announcing that the Prime Minister Zeman and Chancellor Schüssel had decided to meet on 31 October, in fact strongly stated that if the road blocks started again, this meeting would be cancelled. The Czech Minister nevertheless said he was "persuaded" that the tensions between Austria and his country would be resolved before this meeting.
If the road blocks reappear - the demonstrators have announced that they where not suspended and could start-up this weekend - the Czech Republic could ask the European Commission to intervene. The European agreement that binds the Fifteen foresees in fact the progressive of establishment of the free movement of goods. Commissioner Verheugen showed himself to be very prudent and did not want to speak out on the issue. It will be up to Prague to decide whether to refer or not to the Commission, he stated simply. He said that the road blocks "do not favour dialogue", while adding that it is necessary to respect the right to demonstrate. If the road blocks reappear and Prague complains, the Commission will have to take a position. On his side, the Czech Minister seems certain of the Commissions support in this case, since he welcomed the fact that the Commissioner and himself "where in agreement on nearly everything", and "share the same point of view over the road blocks".
The tensions between Austria and the Czech Republic over nuclear power were worsened last week with the starting of the power station's first reactor. Austria doubts the safety of the Temelin power station, it complained over the lack of dialogue and information from the Czechs, and threatens to block the "Energy" chapter in the Czech Republic's accession negotiations. Vienna also called on the EU to adopt criteria in terms of nuclear safety. The Czech Republic, on its side, assures that the power station, whose first reactor started last week, is completely safe, and that it respects the European criteria, if there are any. Furthermore, the Czech Minister that his country has always passed on the information required "to (his) German friends and Austria" and that he would continue to do so. Prague, on the other hand, complains that the Austrian government does nothing against the road blocks.
Questioned over the safety of the Temelin power station, the Commissioner recalled that Community standards do not exist in the field. The "atomic group" in the Council must hand in, before the end of the year, a report on nuclear safety in the candidate countries, and a report on the security of the Temelin power station, which will be drafted by German experts, he recalled. Then, "it will be for the Council, on a proposal by the Commission, to decide if we are satisfied or not", announced the Commissioner, while adding that there are no additional criteria for the accession of EU candidate countries.