BRATISLAVA, June 19, (WEBNOVINY) — Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajcak, who is on an official visit to Cyprus, assured Cypriot officials on Tuesday that Slovak soldiers in UN peacekeeping units will not be withdraw from the island. There are currently 159 Slovak troops in the UNFICYP peacekeeping mission that has been operating there since 2001.
In Cyprus, Lajcak met with Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis, President Demetris Christofias, and with the Mayor of Nicosia Constantinos Yiorkadjis. Cypriot officials appreciated the long-term role of Slovak diplomacy in the dialogue between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot communities and the role of Slovak troops in the UNFICYP mission. The mission is to prevent renewed fighting between the Cypriot Greeks and Turks, to ensure compliance with the ceasefire between the warring parties and help to restore and maintain law and order on the island. „The head of Slovak diplomacy assured them that the Slovak side will continue in these activities,“ the ministry’s press department informed media.
Both parties also declared their interest in further deepening of Slovak-Cypriot relations in all areas. Lajcak pointed out that in the interest of both parties it is necessary to complete the necessary contractual-legal base, where he specifically mentioned the absence of an agreement on avoiding double taxation.
Lajcak and the Cypriot partners paid considerable attention to the post-election situation in Greece. Both sides appreciated that the Greek voters favored particularly pro-European parties, which is the basis for maintaining stability in the euro area. „We consider the project of the euro very important and successful, which brings convenience to our citizens. We therefore care to preserve and enhance stability in the euro area,“ said Lajcak. He informed his partners of the intention of the Slovak Parliament to ratify the ESM and highlighted the solidarity exemplified by this mechanism. „This step again shows the responsibility and strength of the European Union,“ he concluded.
SITA