The President of the Slovak Republic Received the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Iraq

President of the Slovak Republic Ivan Gašparovič received Foreign Minister of the Republic of Iraq Hoshiyar Mahmoud Zebari.

At the meeting, the President expressed his pleasure to have the opportunity to talk to the Foreign Minister of Iraq, and thus to get insight information on the development in Iraq. President Gašparovič was interested in the ideas of the Iraqi side on the help of Slovakia in the future. During the talks, Ivan Gašparovič mentioned the possibility to follow up the very good trade relations Iraq had in the past with the former Czechoslovak Socialistic Republic, on the basis of which it could be possible to speak also about remission of debts.

President Ivan Gašparovič explained to Minister Zebari his attitude to the participation of the Slovak Republic in the international coalition of forces in Iraq. The opinion of the President of the Slovak Republic had been first negative. However, now when our units have been deployed in this country the President pointed out the inevitability to observe the commitments resulting from out membership in NATO. „By their mission in Iraq, Slovak soldiers contribute to supporting peace and stability in Iraq,” said the Slovak head of state.

Minister Zebari conveyed the President of the Slovak Republic greetings from the top representatives of the Iraqi executive, and thanked for the participation of the Slovak Republic in the stabilization process in Iraq. The Iraqi side highly appreciates the readiness of Slovakia to help Iraq also in the future in reconstructing the country destroyed by the war, and to support the Iraqi democratization process.

The Foreign Ministry of Iraq prepares the establishment of a representation office of Iraq in Slovakia. The Foreign Minister added that he understood the discussion on keeping the Slovak soldiers in Iraq, while the Iraqi side does not evaluate the Slovak unit in terms of the number of soldiers. On the contrary, the Slovak unit is perceived as a political will to support the stabilization process in Iraq.

According to Minister Zebari, Iraq will respect any decision of the Slovak partner regarding the presence of Slovak soldiers in Iraq. „We find mainly the future of our cooperation very perspective“, said Minister Zebari. Then he added that the Iraqis are ready to stand up against any sectarian violence in their country.

As he said, the current Iraqi government enjoys a decisive support of the nation. „In spite of the large wave of violence and turmoil, the oil production of Iraq keeps growing, and the economy develops successfully as well,” said the Iraqi Foreign Minister.

In connection with the Slovak armed forces in Iraq he said that clearing of mines and training of Iraqi armed forces are considered to be very important. As for treating the situation in Iraq by communication media, Minister Zebari said that “we who live in the middle of the conflict can state that it is no civil war. Of course, sectarian violence fostered by terrorists and opponents of the new government is a fact; therefore, the presence of foreign forces is an essential condition of eliminating the violence,” said the guest. He also said that “a new Iraq” should meet all the attributes of a free, democratic state with a federal structure that should also be a guarantee of the position of Kurdish and other minorities in the north of Iraq.

At the end of the meeting, President Ivan Gašparovič emphasized the large opportunities to develop mutual economic relation, and to use Slovak power, chemical and mechanical industrial capacities.