Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico met the US President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden in Washington on November 21. Fico, along with Interior Minister Róbert Kaliňák and Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajčák, spoke with Obama about US-Slovak partnership, which is “based on shared democratic values and principles”, Fico’s spokeswoman Beatrice Szabóová wrote in a press release. The meeting took place at the invitation of the US government.
Biden and Fico discussed joint efforts of Slovakia and the United States in the ISAF mission in Afghanistan, including Slovakia’s engagement in Afghanistan beyond 2014, the press release reads. The two leaders noted the progress achieved in eliminating Syria’s chemical weapons and Fico affirmed Slovakia‘s readiness to contribute to international efforts in this regard. They agreed on the need to support economic growth and the creation of new job opportunities on both sides of the Atlantic by concluding the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.
The visit has “confirmed all our expectations”, said Fico, who added that the two countries are strategic partners. He also has confirmed that Slovakia is ready to help the international efforts to eliminate chemical weapons in Syria. Fico said that they also addressed the wiretapping scandal.
“We proposed to eliminate the consequences of this scandal and so that there is a summit held at the level of the US and EU at the soonest possible date to find a model how to address the issue of mutual wiretapping,” Fico said as quoted by the TASR newswire. Only journalists from public-service media, Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS) and the public-service newswire TASR, travelled along with the government representatives to the United States. Fico’s spokeswoman argued that the Americans would have not allowed more journalists to participate, the Sme daily reported on its website.
(Source: TASR, press release, Sme)
Compiled by Michaela Terenzani from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
