( dpa )- The Czech Republic sees no need for the Mediterranean Union that has been proposed by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, a senior official said Monday in Berlin.
The Czech deputy prime minister, Alexandr Vondra, said he could understand that the Mediterranean region was very important to France, but other regions were important too.
"I see no reason for certain European Union nations to separate themselves and establish an institution of their own," he said. The Czech Republic is set to chair the European Union in the first half of next year.
The French leader's idea for links across the sea supplementary to existing European Union conferences has already caused friction in recent weeks between Paris and Berlin.