"Human relations tend to be more difficult when you're dealing with someone who weighs 30 kilograms more than you do. That's when you worry about whether a well-meaning gesture could produce complications. We have no problems with countries like Madagascar or Bolivia, for example. But Germany is our neighbor and we have a shared past. Besides, Germany is powerful and ambitious and more than four times as large as we are. It makes complete sense that we would act cautiously. It's simply Realpolitik."

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Source: 'The Past Is the Past'. Interview with Christian Neef and Jan Puhl, Renata Hanusova, www.spiegel.de. March 13, 2006.

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Vaclav Klaus

Politician, Economist

Vaclav Klaus is a Czech economist and politician known for his advocacy of free markets and individual freedom, particularly through his role as former President of the Czech Republic.

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