Editing Czech Republic (section)

=== Foreign relations ===
{{Main|Foreign relations of the Czech Republic}}
{{See also|Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic}}
[[File:Visa requirements for Czech citizens.svg|thumb|Visa-free entry countries for Czech citizens in green, EU in blue (see [[citizenship of the European Union]])]]
The Czech Republic has ranked as [[Global Peace Index|one of the safest or most peaceful countries]] for the past few decades.<ref>{{cite web |title=Global Peace Index 2020 |url=https://www.visionofhumanity.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/GPI_2020_web.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.visionofhumanity.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/GPI_2020_web.pdf |archive-date=9 October 2022 |url-status=live |website=visionofhumanity.org |publisher=Institute for Economics and Peace}}</ref> It is a member of the United Nations, the [[European Union]], [[NATO]], [[OECD]], [[Council of Europe]] and is an observer to the [[Organization of American States]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3237.htm |title=The Czech Republic's Membership in International Organizations |publisher=[[United States State Department]] |access-date=8 August 2015}}</ref> The embassies of most countries with diplomatic relations with the Czech Republic are located in [[Prague]], while [[Consul (representative)|consulates]] are located across the country.

The Czech passport is [[Visa requirements for Czech citizens|restricted by visas]]. According to the 2018 [[Henley & Partners Visa Restrictions Index]], Czech citizens have visa-free access to 173 countries, which ranks them 7th along with [[Malta]] and [[New Zealand]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.henleyglobal.com/files/download/HPI2018/PI%202018%20INFOGRAPHS%20GLOBAL%20180215.pdf|title=The Henley & Partners Visa Restrictions Index 2018. Data accurate as of 16 January 2018.|access-date=13 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180509163258/https://www.henleyglobal.com/files/download/HPI2018/PI%202018%20INFOGRAPHS%20GLOBAL%20180215.pdf|archive-date=9 May 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[World Tourism Organization]] ranks the Czech passport 24th.<ref>{{cite web|title=Visa Openness Report 2016 |url=http://dtxtq4w60xqpw.cloudfront.net/sites/all/files/docpdf/2015visaopennessreportonline.pdf |publisher=World Tourism Organization |access-date=17 January 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160123123959/http://dtxtq4w60xqpw.cloudfront.net/sites/all/files/docpdf/2015visaopennessreportonline.pdf |archive-date=23 January 2016 }}</ref> The US [[Visa Waiver Program]] applies to Czech nationals.
[[File:Czernin Palast Prag.jpg|thumb|[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Czech Republic)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs]] in [[Prague]]]]
The [[Prime Minister of the Czech Republic|Prime Minister]] and [[Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic|Minister of Foreign Affairs]] have primary roles in setting foreign policy, although the [[President of the Czech Republic|President]] also has influence and represents the country abroad. Membership in the European Union and NATO is central to the Czech Republic's foreign policy. The [[Office for Foreign Relations and Information]] (ÚZSI) serves as the [[foreign intelligence]] agency responsible for [[espionage]] and foreign policy briefings, as well as protection of Czech Republic's embassies abroad.

The Czech Republic has ties with [[Slovakia]], [[Poland]] and [[Hungary]] as a member of the [[Visegrád Group]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.visegradgroup.eu/about |title=About the Visegrad Group |work=[[Visegrád Group]] |access-date=8 August 2015 |date=15 August 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150717004014/http://www.visegradgroup.eu/about |archive-date=17 July 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> as well as with Germany,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.prag.diplo.de/contentblob/4562604/Daten/5624388/download_GemeinsameErklaerung_SD_cz.pdf |title=Společné prohlášení ke strategickému dialogu mezi Ministerstvem zahraničních věcí České republiky a Ministerstvem zahraničních věcí Spolkové republiky Německo jako novém rámci pro česko-německé vztahy |publisher=German embassy in the Czech Republic |access-date=8 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903213529/http://www.prag.diplo.de/contentblob/4562604/Daten/5624388/download_GemeinsameErklaerung_SD_cz.pdf |archive-date=3 September 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Israel]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/30/czech-vote-against-palestine_n_2217861.html |title=Czech Vote Against Palestine: Only European Nation At UN To Vote Against Palestinian State Was Czech Republic |newspaper=The Huffington Post |access-date=8 August 2015 |date=30 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924170943/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/30/czech-vote-against-palestine_n_2217861.html |archive-date=24 September 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> the United States<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mzv.cz/washington/en/czech_u_s_relations/index.html |title=Czech-U.S. Relations |publisher=[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic]] |access-date=8 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015211407/http://www.mzv.cz/washington/en/czech_u_s_relations/index.html |archive-date=15 October 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> and the [[European Union]] and its [[Members of the European Union|members]]. After 2020, relations with Asian democratic states, such as [[Taiwan]], are being strengthened.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Programové prohlášení vlády |url=http://www.vlada.cz/cz/jednani-vlady/programove-prohlaseni/programove-prohlaseni-vlady-193547/ |access-date=30 March 2023 |website=Vlada.cz |language=cs}}</ref> Conversely, the Czech Republic has long had bad relations with [[Russia]]; from 2021, the Czech Republic appears on Russia's official list of enemy countries.<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 May 2021 |title=Rusko zveřejnilo seznam nepřátelských zemí. Jsou na něm jen dvě: Česko a USA|url=https://zpravy.aktualne.cz/zahranici/rusko-zverejnilo-oficialne-seznam-zemi-ktere-nepovazuje-za-p/r~4fd09930b4c911eb89ccac1f6b220ee8/ |access-date=30 March 2023 |publisher=Aktuálně.cz|language=cs}}</ref> The Czech Republic also has problematic relations with [[China]].

Czech officials have supported dissenters in [[Belarus]], [[Moldova]], [[Myanmar]] and [[Cuba]].<ref name="democrats">{{Cite news |url=http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_id=9725352 |title=Czechs with few mates |newspaper=The Economist |date=30 August 2007 |access-date=8 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090925075823/http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_id=9725352 |archive-date=25 September 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Famous Czech diplomats of the past included [[Jaroslav Lev of Rožmitál]], [[Humprecht Jan Czernin]], Count [[Philip Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau]], [[Wenzel Anton, Prince of Kaunitz-Rietberg]], Prince [[Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg|Karl Philipp Schwarzenberg]], [[Alois Lexa von Aehrenthal]], [[Ottokar Czernin]], [[Edvard Beneš]], [[Jan Masaryk]], [[Jiří Hájek]], [[Jiří Dienstbier]], [[Michael Žantovský]], [[Petr Kolář]], [[Alexandr Vondra]], Prince [[Karel Schwarzenberg]] and [[Petr Pavel]].