PRAGUE (AP) " Czech President Milos Zeman has apologized for mistakenly accusing the U.S. ambassador to Prague of skipping a ceremony marking the anniversary of Czechoslovakia's independence. In remarks Wednesday welcoming Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election, Zeman said he hoped the relations between the countries would improve with the new administration. He specifically mentioned the unprofessionalism of Ambassador Andrew Shapiro, saying Shapiro was one of only a few foreign envoys to miss the Oct 28 ceremony at the Prague Castle. Television footage and witnesses confirmed Shapiro did attend the event. Last year, Zeman bristled at Shapiro's implied criticism of the Czech president's decision to attend Moscow's traditional May 9 military parade despite tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine.

Source: New Zealand Herald November 11, 2016 15:22 UTC