DURING a visit to the United Nations on September 21, President Ivan Gašparovič lobbied support for Slovakia's bid to become an elected member of the UN Security Council for 2006-07.
He managed to bring on board chairman of the 59th UN General Assembly, Jean Ping, former foreign affairs minister of Gabon, which is currently the country presiding over the UN General Assembly, reported news wire TASR.
"As we already enjoy the support of a majority among the 22-member eastern European group, we now want to focus on small countries," President Ivan Gašparovič's spokesman Marek Trubač explained.
Ping assured President Gasparovic that Slovakia could count on the unequivocal support of Gabon, according to Trubač.
Gašparovič also held three meetings with Sulejman Tihic, chairman of the tri-partite presidency heading Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus and Slovenian President Janez Drnovsek.
Moreover, he also attended a reception hosted by UN General Secretary Kofi Annan and a reception held by US President George W Bush.
Gasparovic is attending the opening of a general discussion at the 59th session of the UN General Assembly with 105 presidents from 191 member countries.
Compiled by Beata Balogová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
