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Demes: Foreign Policy Should Focus on Improving Ties with Hungary
Thursday 22 April 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, April 22 (TASR) - Slovakia ought to focus on four main areas within its foreign policy in the next election term, most importantly to ensure clear-cut and dignified representation of the country as a NATO and EU member country as well as to put in utmost endeavours aimed at preventing Slovak-Hungarian relations from further deterioration, former Foreign Affairs Minister Pavol Demes told TASR on Thursday.
"I believe that our diplomacy and other ministries should cooperate more effectively with non-state entities concerning the fulfillment of the country's foreign-policy priorities," said Demes, who headed the ministry between 1991-92. At the same time, he specified that by "entities" he was referring to NGOs, analysts and academics.
As well, Slovakia should strive to come up with a clear communications strategy in order to become better known the world over, said Demes, currently director of the Transatlantic Center for Central and Eastern Europe within the German Marshall Fund of the U.S.
Given the likely upcoming Government in Hungary, Slovak-Hungarian relations will go through a difficult spell, he predicted, while calling for more experts to deal with this issue.
He described both former and current minister Jan Kubis and Miroslav Lajcak, respectively, as high-quality and internationally-recognised diplomats who enjoy respect that goes far beyond Slovakia's borders.
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