Sarkozy invites Czech Republic to G20 finance summit
(PARIS) - President Nicolas Sarkozy on Friday invited the Czech finance minister, whose country takes over the EU presidency from France in January, to next month's Group of 20 summit on the global finance crisis.
Speaking after talks with Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, Sarkozy suggested Finance Minister Miroslav Kalusek join the G20 group of current and emerging powers for the November 15 talks in Washington.
He also said Prague -- which does not use the euro single currency -- would be invited to any extraordinary meeting of the 15-member eurogroup single currency bloc held under its six-month presidency of the European Union.
Sarkozy said the move was intended "to ensure continuity in European unity on the financial crisis" between the French and Czech presidencies.
The French leader's activism on the finance crisis, and suggestions he wanted to take the helm of the eurogroup in 2009, has fuelled speculation he would try to cling on to the EU reins after the end of the year.
The Czech republic's eurosceptic president Vaclav Klaus on Sunday accused him of seeking to undermine Prague's EU presidency.
Topolanek said he and Sarkozy had "agreed on the need for continuity and a smooth transition" between the two presidencies.
"We have worked very hard together because it is very important the handover between the French and Czech presidencies of the European Union takes place smoothly," Sarkozy added.
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