Prague  - The notorious Czech provocateur of an artist, David Cerny, had the privilege last summer to shake hands with Condoleezza Rice, the then US secretary of state.

Passing an alley of garbage cans to do so, she showed up at one of Prague's many popular yet downscale cafes which happened to double as a centre for supporters of US plans to build a missile shield base in the Czech Republic, Cerny among them.

But when US President Barack Obama arrives in the Czech capital this weekend, Cerny and his associates won't get near that sort of access. "It does not look good," the artist said.

Prague - The European Union's finance ministers Friday praised the deal reached a day earlier by the world's largest economies on new global financial regulation and a boost in funding for key international institutions.

Arriving for a set of informal meetings in Prague, the EU finance ministers called the results of Group of 20 (G20) summit, made in a bid to overcome the global recession, a success.

Prague - The Czech Republic Wednesday has suspended the issuance of work visas to some Eastern Europeans and Asians in response to the economic downturn that has struck the country's export-driven economy, officials said.

As of Wednesday, the Czech embassies in Moldova, Mongolia, Thailand, Ukraine and Vietnam are suspending accepting work-visa applications and scheduling work-visa interviews, the Czech Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Prague  - Rival Czech parties agreed to form jointly an interim government that is likely to replace acting Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek's cabinet at the helm of the European Union.

The interim government of experts, which would not be led by Topolanek, should take over in several weeks, local reports said Wednesday citing party leaders.

Topolanek said after the meeting that his outgoing cabinet would stay in "through the whole of April," the Czech news agency CTK reported.

Prague  - The new Israeli government is prepared to respect a two-state solution in its conflict with the Palestinians, former Czech president Vaclav Havel was reported saying Tuesday after meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres.

Havel said Peres provided the assurances after Havel expressed concerns that the new Israeli government will not support the establishment of a Palestinian state because the new Israeli government's coalition includes parties which have rejected compromises toward the Palestinians.

Prague  - Israeli President Shimon Peres after a meeting with Czech President Vaclav Klaus in Prague on Monday said he was hopeful for a successful conclusion to peace talks with the Palestinians this year.

Peres added that he expected "definite advances" in Israel's relations with its Arab neighbours.

Klaus stressed that politics was not about ideology but compromise.