The Czech Republic plans to open a diplomatic mission in Burma in 2013, according to the English version of the České Noviny news website. The new mission will be one of five to be opened within the first half of the year, with the others being in Qatar, Senegal, Sri Lanka and Colombia. The country’s missions in in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya will also be strengthened. At the same time, the Czech Republic will close its diplomatic missions in Luxembourg and with UNESCO in Paris, while some other embassies in Europe have already been slimmed down.