Slovakia will remember the balanced approach of outgoing NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer towards all NATO member states regardless of their size or period of membership, Slovak Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Peter Stano told TASR.
“Slovakia appreciates his [Scheffer's] contribution to defending NATO as an important actor in contemporary international relations and security. In addition, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, while presiding over the Alliance, oversaw its greatest ever enlargement - by nine countries, including Slovakia,” Stano said, as quoted by TASR.
He noted that Scheffer's term in office ended on July 31 and that he was replaced by Former Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Monday, August 3.
“The Alliance is currently on the threshold of an important period of preparing a new strategic concept, in which Slovakia wants to participate actively under the baton of the new secretary-general,” Stano said, as reported by TASR. TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
4. Aug 2009 at 14:00