[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 20]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 27003]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING THE SIGNIFICANT ANNIVERSARIES OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC AND 
                                SLOVAKIA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, November 5, 2009

  Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the anniversary 
of two U.S. allies. Twenty years ago, during the month of November 
1989, the country then known as Czechoslovakia freed itself of 
communist control, instituted democratic elections and set out to adapt 
its command economy to the free market. From what many refer to as the 
``Velvet Revolution of 1989'' or the ``Gentle Revolution,'' 
Czechoslovakia peacefully became two democratic countries by mutual 
consent: the Czech Republic and Slovakia on January 1, 1993. The Velvet 
Revolution or the Gentle Revolution, if you wish, opened the way for 
democracy and prosperity for the people of the former Czechoslovakia.
  During their brief history as independent nations, both the Czech 
Republic and Slovak Republic garnered worldwide respect with their 
admittance into the European Union, the North Atlantic Treaty 
Organization (NATO) and the United Nations. They have further 
solidified their commitment with their military units participating in 
NATO missions throughout the globe.
  The Czech Republic has a local tie to its NATO admission with 
Missouri's Fifth District. The documents of admission were signed at 
the Truman Presidential Library in Independence, Missouri. We are 
honored to have H.E. Peter Burian, Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to 
the U.S. and Daniel Kostoval, Deputy Chief of Mission from the Embassy 
of the Czech Republic in Missouri's Fifth District from November 5-7, 
2009 to celebrate the birth and growth of two allied nations. Amongst 
their many activities with our local Czech-American and Slovak-American 
communities, the visiting dignitaries will lay a wreath at President 
Truman's grave on Friday, November 6th to commemorate their NATO 
affiliations.
  Madam Speaker, please join me in expressing our heartfelt 
congratulations to the Czech Republic and Slovakia for their relentless 
efforts in extending goodwill and democratic principles, not only 
within their borders, but to the global community including the Fifth 
Congressional District of Missouri. I urge my colleagues to please join 
me in expressing our appreciation to two nations who continue to evolve 
in the democratic tradition.

                          ____________________