The foreign ministers of Great Britain and Slovakia – William Hague and Miroslav Lajčák – met in London on Wednesday, February 13, and praised the level of bilateral co-operation, but stated that there is still scope for improvement in communication between British social services authorities and the relevant bodies in Slovakia, the TASR newswire reported, quoting the Slovak Foreign Ministry.
Alluding mainly to a highly-publicised recent case involving two boys who were taken into care in the UK and almost put up for adoption, Lajčák said: "We’d appreciate it if we received information on such cases without any delay, so that they can be resolved positively." The Slovak minister, whose visit marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries, praised the role of the United Kingdom during the era of Slovakia’s independence.
"We’ve managed to make incredible progress over the 20 years of our co-operation. What few people dared to envisage in 1993 is a reality now, and Slovakia is at the very centre of European integration," said Lajčák. The main focus of the talks in London was on European issues, with both ministers agreeing that the situation in the eurozone must be stabilised in order to boost economic growth.
Turning to the integration efforts of countries in the Western Balkans, both said that the EU is interested in receiving these countries – but that they must carry out the necessary reforms first. Among countries in the so-called Eastern Partnership, it is Moldova that has made the most significant progress and can aspire to a higher level of integration with the EU, said Lajčák. He and Hague subsequently appeared at a reception at the British House of Commons and delivered addresses marking the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.
Source: 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.
