Foreign Minister Blanar Meets Outgoing US Ambassador Gautam Rana

Bratislava, 13 January (TASR) - Slovak-American relations have long been based on mutual respect, alliance and practical cooperation in areas important for the security and prosperity of both countries, Foreign and European Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) said after meeting outgoing US Ambassador Gautam Rana on Tuesday. The head of Slovak diplomacy praised the ambassador's tenure, noting that during his three and a half years in office several major milestones were achieved that strengthened the strategic nature of relations between Slovakia and the United States. These include cooperation primarily in defence and security, as well as in energy, notably the preparation of an intergovernmental agreement on the construction of a nuclear facility by the US company Westinghouse, which is to be signed in Washington in three days, Blanar pointed out. In this context, the US diplomat highlighted the Slovak government's strategic decisions taken in recent years in the field of nuclear energy. In talks, both sides also praised the dynamics of trade cooperation and recalled that Slovak-American bilateral relations were elevated to the level of a strategic dialogue in 2020. "Our embassy in Washington is working with the US Department of State on preparing further joint meetings, and we are also interested in another round of the Slovak-US Strategic Dialogue. We are focusing not only on economic and investment activities, but also conducting dialogue on key issues related to current geopolitical developments," Blanar said. During discussions on current geopolitical issues, the minister was briefed on US positions regarding the situation in Ukraine, as well as Venezuela and Greenland. In this regard, Blanar reaffirmed the Slovak government's consistent stance and the country's principled commitment to the necessity of respecting international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter. "The erosion of international law that the world is facing today is fundamentally changing geopolitics. For Slovakia, as well as other smaller countries, respect for international law is fundamental. That is why we reject any double standards and call on major powers and the international community to abide by international rules," the minister emphasized, confirming Slovakia's ambition to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the years 2028-2029. At the conclusion of the meeting, the foreign minister also praised the outgoing US ambassador's activities in the area of so-called soft diplomacy, which includes exchanges of scientists through the Fulbright Commission and enables the continuation of the successful Work and Travel student programme. mf