Blanar: Important Message of Cleveland Agreement Is Willingness to Understand

Bratislava, 22 October (TASR) - An important message of the Cleveland Agreement is the willingness to understand and agree, Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) stated, commemorating the 110th anniversary of the signing of the agreement at an event organised by the Office for Slovaks Living Abroad, TASR was told by the Foreign and European Affairs Ministry's communications department on Wednesday. "The Cleveland Agreement was more than just a legal act. It was a manifestation of the courage of our Slovak and Czech compatriots who, even far from home, didn't forget their nations and believed in their free future," said Slovakia's chief diplomat. Blanar pointed out that Slovaks abroad can still contribute to spreading the good name of Slovakia. "It's necessary that we work closely with our compatriots so that we still perceive them as citizens of the Slovak Republic and as those who make up our common Slovak world in which we live with other nations," believes Blanar. The Foreign Ministry pointed out that the Cleveland Agreement, signed on 22 October 1915 by representatives of the Slovak League of America and the Czech National Association, was the first joint declaration of Czechs and Slovaks living abroad that supported the setting up of an independent federal state. am