Jaroslav Šedivý

Jaroslav Šedivý (2010)

Jaroslav Šedivý (born November 12, 1929 in Prague ) is a former Czech politician . At times he was foreign minister and ambassador in various countries.

Šedivý joined the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia on January 2, 1948 . In 1952 he obtained a degree in Slavic Studies at Charles University in Prague , and in 1961 he completed his doctorate .

As part of his military service , Šedivý served in the military counterintelligence , which was part of the Czechoslovak State Security Service . Later he worked as a scientist at the Institute of Slavic Studies of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Arts in Prague. After the Prague Spring he was imprisoned and after his release he worked as a forest worker, driver and window cleaner. He also published under several pseudonyms .

After the Velvet Revolution , in 1989, Šedivý became an advisor to the new Foreign Minister Jiří Dienstbier . In June 1990 he was sent to France as ambassador . He later served as ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg . In the interim government under Josef Tošovský he was Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic from 1997 to 1998 . From 1999 to 2002 he served as ambassador to Switzerland .

In 2005 Šedivý was awarded the Czech Republic Medal of Merit in silver.

Šedivý is married to Marie Šedivá and has two children. His son Jiří is also a politician and diplomat.

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