Slovak Defence Minister Jaroslav Baška and Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels have agreed that a joint Slovak-American military unit will take part in training of the Afghan national army, the TASR newswire was told by Defence Ministry spokesman Vladimir Gemela on March 12.
At their meeting held in Indianapolis the day before, the two politicians appreciated the long-term and continual development of relations between Indiana and Slovakia, based on co-operation between the Slovak Armed Forces and National Guard of Indiana.
The Defence Minister along with Ľubomír Bulík, Chief of General Staff of the Slovak Armed Forces and the Slovak Ambassador to the US, Peter Burian, paid a visit to Indiana's National Guard headquarters.
“Nobody wants the NATO forces to stay in Afghanistan forever. This policy represents a way to reinforce the army of Afghanistan, while gradually handing the security control over the country to Afghans,” said Baška. He also added that Slovakia plans to strengthen its participation in the ISAF Operation to 400 persons in 2010-2011. TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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