Biographical Note

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF CZECH REPUBLIC PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

(Based on information received by the Protocol and Liaison Service.)

The new Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the United Nations, Hynek Kmonicek, presented his credentials to Secretary-General Kofi Annan today.

Before his present appointment, Mr. Kmonicek was his country’s Deputy Foreign Minister, after holding a number of positions in his country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Director-General for Asia, Africa and the Americas (1999); and Director of the Middle East and Africa Department (1997).

Mr. Kmonicek's other career activities included a year at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem under the Rothberg Overseas Programme (1994 to 1995); and lecturer at the University of Pardubice, Czech Republic (1991 to 1994).  For five years, from 1986 to 1991, he was a music teacher and concert player (lute, classical guitar).

He was educated in the Czech Republic, studying music and education at the South Bohemian University at České Budějovice, and pursuing English and Arabic studies at the Charles University in Prague.  He also studied Modern History of the Middle East at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1995.

Born on 22 October 1962 in Pardubice, Czech Republic, Mr. Kmonicek speaks English, Czech and Russian, and has a working knowledge of Arabic and Hebrew.

He is married with one son and two daughters.

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