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My Profile Top News Reuters top ten news stories delivered to your inbox each day. Subscribe You are here: Home > News > International > Article Home Business & Finance News U.S. Politics International Technology Entertainment Sports Lifestyle Oddly Enough Environment Health Science Special Coverage Video Pictures The Great Debate Blogs Weather Reader Feedback Do More With Reuters RSS Widgets Mobile Podcasts Newsletters You Witness News Make Reuters My Homepage Partner Services CareerBuilder Affiliate Network Professional Products Support (Customer Zone) Reuters Media Financial Products About Thomson Reuters Czechs take EU helm as economy, Mideast crises loom Wed Dec 31, 2008 7:30pm EST Email | Print | Share | Reprints | Single Page [-] Text [+] By Michael Winfrey PRAGUE (Reuters) - The Czech Republic took the helm of the European Union on Thursday for a six-month stint in which it must help the bloc tackle its worst economic crisis in generations and deal with renewed conflict in the Middle East. Following the initiative-filled tenure of France -- whose President Nicolas Sarkozy jousted with issues from financial turmoil to climate change -- the Czechs have raised concern among some EU states over their ability to lead. The Czechs have tried to quell those fears, identifying main priorities as the economy, external relations and energy, the last of which may come into play soon as Russia threatens to stop gas supplies to Ukraine, a major transit state to the EU. "Sarkozy has already called Prime Minister Topolanek and he congratulated him," Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Alexandr Vondra said on live television. He then lit a huge metronome above Prague, the symbol of the Czech presidency, although the ceremony was relatively low key and the official launch will take place on January 7. The ex-communist state of 10 million people has suffered only a glancing blow from the economic crisis that has wreaked havoc across the rest of the bloc's 495 million population in the form of plummeting markets, bank bailouts, and job losses. Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek's minority center-right government has dragged its heels on the Lisbon reform treaty, a charter designed to streamline EU decision making, making the Czechs one of just three EU members who have yet to ratify it. Czech President Vaclav Klaus is a staunch eurosceptic who has campaigned against deeper integration with other EU members, even if his post is largely ceremonial. Topolanek, who will chair the Czech presidency, will have to tackle those issues along with the already long list of challenges he faces in the new year. MIDDLE EAST On Sunday Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg expected to travel to the Middle East to work toward a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has killed nearly 400 and wounded 1,600 in an offensive it says is to halt rocket attacks from Hamas. "As soon as he takes over (for) the presidency, he feels it is his duty to fly there and start handling it," said Schwarzenberg's spokeswoman, Zuzana Opletalova. Schwarzenberg, a close ally of Washington and pro-Israel, defended the strikes on Tuesday. He put the onus of the conflict on Hamas and said Israel had a right to defend itself. That was a different message from France's condemnation of aggression from both sides' and call for an immediate ceasefire. Those stances may be thrown in stark relief when Sarkozy visits Egypt and the Palestinian territories on January 5 and Syria and Lebanon on January 6 in a bid to secure a peace deal. Continued... View article on single page Share: Del.icio.us Digg Mixx My Web Facebook LinkedIn Next Article: Britain's Brown sees enormous economic challenge ahead Also on Reuters Tech companies push stylish, personal design Video Video: A look back at Wall Street's year of turmoil Sharks have wimpy bites, study finds More International News Israel rebuffs Gaza truce call, mobilizes troops | Video Pakistani investigators find Mumbai link: report U.S. vacates Baghdad palace ahead of handover Bangkok fire kills 58 New Year clubbers | Video Britain's Brown sees enormous economic challenge ahead More International News... Editor's Choice Slideshow A selection of our best photos from the past 24 hours. Slideshow Most Popular on Reuters Articles Video Obama, daughters cause stir on Hawaii outing | Video Apple shares turn negative on Jobs "rumor" Matt Dillon arrested for speeding in Vermont More economic pain seen in 2009, but some hope too | Video China dairy boss pleads guilty in melamine case | Video "What are you doing here?": man asks wife at brothel Kevin Bacon among latest hurt in Madoff scheme: reports Israel rebuffs Gaza truce call, mobilizes troops | Video Jobless claims dive while mortgage rates ease again Researchers unlock secrets of 1918 flu pandemic Most Popular Articles RSS Feed Video Talk of the Town: Comeback kid Russian volcano erupts Obama enjoys holiday golf Gaza: pressure mounts for truce Blagojevich picks Obama replacement Gazans seek refuge in schools Cruise ship disappearance An historic year in U.S. politics Calls for truce as Gaza deaths rise And Finally.. The Oddest of 2008. 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