Checkmate

THERE is a legendary rivalry between Czech president Vaclav Havel, who is on a state visit to Dublin this weekend, and prime …

THERE is a legendary rivalry between Czech president Vaclav Havel, who is on a state visit to Dublin this weekend, and prime minister Vaclav Klaus, a right wing economist whose coalition partners needed a month of argument before agreeing to join a new government this week.

After the Czech win at Wembley, Havel issued an ecstatic statement saying, "This victory was fantastic". Shortly afterwards, Klaus's office issued his reaction. "Fantastic," it began, "is not a strong enough word..."

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