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30 years ago this month, Czechoslovakia split into the separate states of the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

It was a rare instance of a state separating without a single life being lost. Thanks to this it became known as the \\u2018Velvet Divorce\\u2019.

Rather than putting it to a vote, the country and its assets were divided behind closed doors by the Czech and Slovak leaders, V\\xe1clav Klaus and Vladim\\xedr Me\\u010diar, who became the Prime Ministers of their newly independent states. Ben Henderson speaks to both of them about their memories from the time.

(Photo: V\\xe1clav Klaus and Vladim\\xedr Me\\u010diar negotiate the split. Credit: Zehl Igor/\\u010cTK)