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Gasparovic: NATO Meeting Confirms Slovakia's Successful Integration
Saturday 18 September 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, September 18 (TASR) - Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic views the fact that Slovakia has been entrusted to organise a meeting of top NATO officials after hosting the informal gathering of NATO defence ministers in Bratislava in 2009 as a confirmation of its successful integration into NATO structures.
"I regard this as a confirmation that Slovakia has become an integral and fully-fledged part of the most efficient military-political organisation of the contemporary world," Gasparovic said at the gala dinner of the NATO chiefs of general staff held in Tatranska Lomnica (Presov region) on Friday.
Gasparovic said that by joining NATO and EU, Slovakia has resolved the strategic issue of its international orientation. "Although our national armed forces are smaller these days, they have an ambition to be more efficient and modern. They carry out tasks not only concerning the defence of our country but also in international missions under NATO, EU or UN leadership," he said.
NATO Military Committee Chairman Giampaolo Di Paola thanked the Slovak President during dinner. In his speech, Di Paola appreciated Slovakia's contribution to the missions carried out under international crisis management, mainly with respect to Afghanistan. "Thank you for your contribution, Mr. President," Italian Admiral told Gasparovic in Slovak language.
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