BRATISLAVA, July 27, (WEBNOVINY) — Slovak Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Miroslav Lajcak ended his visit to Washington on Thursday with a meeting with representatives of U.S. National Security Council, with Slovak compatriots living in the United States, and representatives of the Society of Friends of Slovakia, informed the press department of the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Talks with representatives of the U.S. National Security Council confirmed mutual interest in exchanging views on key international policy issues. The main topics discussed were the situation in Afghanistan, NATO’s role and position after the summit in Chicago, including its further expansion, the crisis in the euro area, relations between the EU and U.S.A. as well as the perspective of the Western Balkans and EU’s Eastern Partnership. Minister Lajcak assured his American partners that Slovakia is a reliable ally in NATO, as evidenced by its participation in the ISAF mission in Afghanistan. „This position has support in parliament across the political spectrum,“ he said. Both sides supported the policy of „open door“ within NATO and agreed that the next summit should deal with enlargement. American partners were interested in the position of Minister Lajcak to the situation in the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries – also in view of his previous diplomatic experience.
Minister Lajcak also met with representatives of key U.S. non-governmental organizations, including the Atlantic Council of the United States, U.S. Institute for Peace and German Marshall Fund. The discussions focused foreign policy issues with emphasis on the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership. U.S. partners also appreciated the activities of Slovak diplomacy in these regions.
At the end of his visit, the foreign minister has traditionally met with representatives of compatriot communities as well as with members of the Society of Friends of Slovakia. He informed them about the new government’s activities aimed at cooperation with compatriots. „The fact that the government pays special attention to this issue is shown not only in its program statement, but also on the fact that expatriate agenda has been moved under the auspices of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs,“ he said on this occasion.
SITA