Kalinak: Government Oriented Towards All Four Cardinal Directions of World

Bratislava, 12 June (TASR) - The Slovak government is oriented towards all four cardinal directions, stated Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD) after Thursday's government meeting. The defence minister stated that Uzbekistan is the gateway to the whole of Central Asia. "These countries are experiencing tremendous development and possess vast natural resources that we can also benefit from at favourable prices," he said, adding that Slovakia is sought after for cooperation in technological development. Kalinak added that Slovakia should also engage in trade with eastern countries. "There are many resources and roles that Slovakia can fulfill. After all, historically, Slovakia has contributed to building infrastructure in numerous countries," he noted. Before Thursday's government meeting, Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) stressed that Slovakia should increase cooperatation with partners in the European Union, although he also acknowledged efforts to explore other markets for the country. lin/df