At the beginning of the meeting Ambassador Pohl congratulated Mr Smith on taking up a challenging role and wished him every success in executing it. At the same time he gave him a congratulatory letter from the chairman of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament, Mr Jan Hamáček.

During the meeting Ambassador Pohl informed Mr Smith about the Czech expatriate community, thanked for their reception in Australia, especially after February 1948 and August 1968, and recalled that both countries share the same democratic values ​​and principles. The proof of this is that our soldiers are fighting on the same global arena, for e.g. in Afghanistan.

Ambassador Pohl underlined the importance of mutual parliamentary relations between Australia and the Czech Republic and informed about an official visit to Australia by a delegation of the Commission on Compatriots Living Abroad headed by first deputy chairman of the Czech Senate, Premysl Sobotka, which took place this April. At the end of the meeting, Ambassador Pohl invited Mr Tony Smith to visit the Czech Republic.