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Lajcak Sets Forth Slovakia's Goals in Formation of EU's Diplomatic Corps
Monday 22 March 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Brussels, March 22 (TASR) - When vying for posts within the EU's European External Action Service (EEAS), Slovakia will take a shot at positions where the country has a comparative edge vis-a-vis fellow EU member countries and thus stands a good chance of eventually occupying the posts, Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajcak said following a meeting of foreign affairs ministers of EU-member countries in Brussels on Monday.
Discussion devoted to the EU's new institution, which is being established following the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon on 1 December 2009, was led by the bloc's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton. EEAS is projected to serve as a foreign ministry and diplomatic corps for the Union.
"The debate has moved on and is now being held at a political level. The member states insist that a geographical balance and equality in representation by member states, the Commission and the Council of Europe be maintained. I believe that this isn't being questioned by anybody. However, opinions vary on what kind of tasks EEAS should perform at the consular level," said Lajcak.
In Slovakia's bid to occupy particular positions, Lajcak said that "we have people who have linguistic skills to work in the former Yugoslavia or the former Soviet Union."
"Obviously, as far as knowledge of realia concerning Africa goes, we can't compete with countries that had their colonies there in the past. The Western Balkans and the former Soviet Union aren't our only goals, of course, but that's where we feel to be strong, and the results of our diplomacy are a testimony to this," said the Slovak official.
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