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The Czech Republic will propose to its European partners that the ratification of the EU Constitution should continue but that the whole process should be delayed in the light of the French rejection of the treaty. Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek said on Wednesday that his three party coalition, which strongly backs the treaty, had given him a mandate to seek an extension of the ratification process at a summit of European leaders on June 16th. Mr. Paroubek said that the Czech government would press ahead with its information campaign on the EU Constitution despite calls from the Christian Democrats, one of the smaller parties in government, that it should be suspended, pending a decision by the EU leadership.

A Czech classical musician appeared on television on Tuesday to deny he was the mysterious mute pianist found last month wandering on an English beach. Tomas Strnad, a former rock musician who fellow band members claimed was the unknown pianist, appeared on three Czech television stations to say he had been misrepresented. Two Czech musicians had claimed after seeing photographs in the media that the unknown man was their former fellow rock band member Strnad. More than 1,000 people have responded to an appeal for information that could help identify the pianist, and have suggested about 250 possible names, British police said.

The prime ministers of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia will meet on June 9th to discuss ways of getting European integration back on track after the French rejection of the EU Constitution. The talks will take place within the framework of a planned summit of Visegrad states, a lose alliance of Central European countries. Polish Prime Minister Marek Belka, who will host the meeting in Warsaw, said the Visegrad member states had unanimously agreed to devote part of the meeting to an exchange of ideas that might give new impetus to the process of European integration. The Polish Prime Minister repeated his conviction that Poland should ratify the EU Constitution and said that he wanted to help France to remain the locomotive of European integration.

The bill on a one-off referendum on the EU Constitution, drawn up by the Civic Democrats, remains in play, according to senior party official Premysl Sobotka. Mr. Sobotka said that EU talks might initiate the preparation of a new constitutional treaty, in which case the bill would still be relevant.

The dispute between Prime Minister Paroubek and President Vaclav Klaus over foreign policy appears to be over. The two leaders met on Tuesday morning to clear up a dispute which erupted after the Prime Minister accused the President of allegedly overstepping his foreign policy mandate by criticizing the EU Constitution on foreign visits. The Czech government is strongly pro-federalist and Mr. Paroubek accused the President of sending out "confusing signals" regarding the Czech Republic's position. Following their meeting the Prime Minister told journalists that he and the President had agreed to hold foreign policy consultations more frequently and would try to present a unified stand on key issues.

Fifty seven percent of Czechs would like to see the president elected by the people. According to a poll just out close to fifty percent of Czechs said the president should not be connected with any political party. A fifth of respondents said he or she should not be involved in politics in any way. Czechs have expressed similar views in the past, but there has never been sufficient consensus in parliament for the approval of a bill which would enable the president to be elected in a direct vote. Under Czech law he is elected by Parliament.

The opposition Civic Democratic Party has called on the Czech government to halt all moves towards the ratification of the EU Constitution in light of France's rejection of the treaty over the weekend. The right wing Civic Democrats told a news conference in Prague that going ahead with plans for ratification had lost its purpose since the EU Constitution had become a legally invalid document. Some Civic Democratic Party officials have accused the government of wanting to press ahead with a campaign on the constitution in order to access the 200 million crowns allotted to publicize the treaty.

The Christian Democrats of the governing coalition have also called for the ratification of the EU Constitution to be suspended, pending a decision by Brussels. The Christian Democrats, one of the smaller coalition parties, presented their view at a press conference in Prague on Tuesday, independently of the other two ruling parties. This angered Prime Minister Paroubek who accused them of being disloyal to the Cabinet. The prime minister has called a meeting of the coalition leaders for Wednesday to discuss what course of action the government should take.

The Czech tabloid daily Blesk on Tuesday published a childhood picture of musician Tomas Strnad, claiming it had proof that he is the mystery Piano Man found wandering on an English beach last month. The picture of Strnad, aged ten, shows a stark resemblance to the still unidentified man. The mother of a former classmate of Strnad's provided the photograph saying she had recognized him instantly. Two other musicians who used to perform in a band with Strnad also think that the mystery man is their old friend, describing him as a lonely genius who can play classical music from memory.

A Prague court has sentenced a member of the Qatar royal family, Prince Hamid bin Abdal Sani, to 2.5 years in prison for sexual contacts with girls under the age of fifteen. The court has also ordered the expulsion of Mr Sani from the Czech Republic.