Austrálie a Pacifik v zahraniční politice socialistického Československa v době studené války

The relations between Czechoslovakia, controlled by the communist regime, and Australia, which was a part of the western world, did not represent a significant value for either of both parties. Czechoslovakia, formally commencing the diplomatic cooperation with Australia during the previous period, however kept the General consulate in Sydney active in course of the entire Cold War, and this consulate was perceived as the only office of similar character in the entire Communist bloc in Australia during majority of the 1950s. The study of partially preserved documents from this office provides insights into the ideas of the communist world about the development in the area of interest including certain political and ideological stereotypes. A certain increased activity in the mutual trade relations were visible from the second half of the 1950s. Nevertheless, further development of mutual relations was prevented both by geographic remoteness and remoteness of interests, as well as by the general political development. Attempts for a full normalization of the diplomatic relations (which had been strictly formal until that time) are visible from the beginning of the 1970s, however, only a partial success is observable in the years 1971–1972. While Czechoslovakia was represented in Australia by an ambassador with the seat in Jakarta, Indonesia, Canberra was in Prague formally represented by an ambassador with the seat in Vienna. In the second half of the 1980s, the government in Prague tried to widen the scope of its relations, which indubitably happened in connection with a certain increased activity of the Soviet foreign policy in the Pacific region. The embassy of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic was established in Canberra in the autumn 1987, which may be perceived as a symbol of the aforementioned change.