Blanar Honours Memory of Notable Slovak Figures during US Trip

Washington, 20 February (TASR) - Slovakia and the United States have strong interpersonal ties, which both nations can build on even today, stated Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD), who visited the final resting places of Slovak diplomat and politician Stefan Osusky and US soldier of Slovak origin Michal Strenk during his US trip, TASR learnt from the Foreign Affairs Ministry on Friday. "It's important that we should recall significant figures of our nation, such as Stefan Osusky, to whom we owe a debt for negotiating the terms of the Trianon Peace Treaty at the time when the first Czechoslovak Republic was set up. We're therefore grateful for everything he did for us," said Blanar at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington. The minister also pointed out that many Slovaks worked in Slovak and then Czechoslovak diplomacy, and their legacy should be constantly recalled. At Arlington Cemetery in Virginia, Blanar honoured the memory of Michal Strenk, a native of the Slovak village of Jarabina. He served in the Marine Corps and, along with his comrades, raised the victory flag on the top of the Japanese island of Iwo Jima during WWII. The photograph of this historic moment later became the subject of a US Marine Corps memorial and the template for the creation of an official postage stamp. "It's an iconic photograph that symbolises the fight against Nazism and fascism to this day. These are also the roots of Slovakia, recalling the historical anti-fascist connection between Slovakia and the United States, which we can build on today," stressed Blanar. Blanar arrived for an official visit to the USA to participate in the first-ever session of the Board of Peace on Thursday (19 February). Blanar reiterated that Slovakia hasn't accepted membership, but its observer status gives it the opportunity to monitor all important activities. Blanar held several bilateral meetings with leaders and ministers from around the world on the sidelines of the session in Washington. ko/df