Annual Report Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic 2008

A Safe and
Democratic World
1.
The Slovak Republic is a responsible and active
member of the international community.
Through its work it contributes to the
development of a safe and democratic world, the
spreading of the values of democracy, rule of law
and respect for human rights. Internationally,
Slovakia is perceived as a trustworthy partner, a
member of the European Union, the United Nations,
North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the
Council of Europe, and the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe.
In 2008 the Slovak Republic continued in its
active participation and cooperation with its
European partners in fulfilling the goals of the
Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and
the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).
The focus of Slovak activity within the EU corresponded
to our long-term foreign policy priorities,
primarily the Western Balkans, and EU policy
towards its eastern neighbours and relations
with strategic partners.
In the area of European and global security the
year 2008 saw remarkable developments which
brought several significant changes. The situation
in Afghanistan deteriorated due to increasingly
frequent Taliban attacks on the units of ISAF and
the Afghan National Army. On the other hand the
security situation in Iraq improved.
The countries of the Western Balkan region
undoubtedly constitute one of Slovakia’s foreign
policy priorities. The Slovak Republic perceives
the integration of these countries into the EU and
NATO as a means of ensuring their development
and security. In this regard, the unilateral declaration
of the independence of Kosovo has not improved
the situation in the area.
In 2008, Slovakia continued to support the
transformation process of NATO in the political
as well as the defence and military fields. Slovakia’s
representatives outlined their positions
strengthening the transatlantic bond and cooperation
with the EU. Our Embassy in Kiev, which
serves as the NATO Contact Point Embassy, continued
its activities with the goal of increasing
the awareness of the Ukrainian public about
NATO.
Slovakia presided over the Committee of Ministers
of the CoE until May 2008. It focused particularly
on the rapprochement of the international
community and the citizen, the coordination of
CoE activities with other international institutions,
and the support of values such as human
rights, the rule of law and democracy. As of June
2008, the Slovak Republic became a fully-fledged
member of the UN Human Rights Council for a
period of three years.
In 2008 Slovakia worked effectively within international
organizations, especially the UN as
well as the specialized agencies of the UN system
and promoted the foreign policy priorities of the
Slovak Republic as well as the principles, values
and interests of the EU in the field of strengthening
the instruments of multilateralism and
the effective system of international relations
with the key role of the UN. Slovakia actively
participated in solving urgent issues and global
challenges which are long-term in character and
have considerable security, economic and social
implications such as the proliferation of weapons
of mass destruction, climate change, the world
food and energy crisis, poverty, sustainable development,
and human rights.