Distinguished Doyen of the Diplomatic Corps Huang Zhong-po,
Dear Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

as the adage goes, „once more, the Wheel of the Year has turned and here we stand again“. With the arrival of the year 2008, it is again my pleasure to convey my New Year’s wishes to the diplomats accredited to my country.

Several of you who have no residence in Bratislava arrived today from Vienna with more ease, without having to stop at the border crossing with Austria, because Slovakia recently joined the Schengen Area. For each one of you, this may have been just a technical nuisance for your otherwise vibrant interaction with Slovakia, however, for Slovakia, this was one of last year’s memorable events as well as a major milestone that Slovakia conquered in the broader context of its European integration, further strengthening our international position.

Last year, the Diplomatic Corps has also witnessed dynamic change. We have had the opportunity to welcome a number of new ambassadors arriving on a mission to explore possibilities of further beneficial cooperation with Slovakia. One of these newly arriving ambassadors on such a noble mission is the Ambassador of the United States of America, who happens to be historically the first U.S. Ambassador with Slovak roots. In my capacity as the President of the Slovak Republic, I wish the Ambassador as well as all the other 27 ambassadors who have presented their Letter of Credence last year much joy on their quest of exploring and discovering present-day Slovakia. Also, I wish to convey my gratitude to the ambassadors of the countries that I had the honour of visiting in an official capacity last year, namely Italy, Ireland, Cyprus, Moldova, Croatia, Spain and Syria as well as of the countries whose high-ranking officials we had the honour of welcoming in Slovakia, namely the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Serbia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Poland. My word of thanks also goes out to those who provided their kind assistance in respect of my attendance at the multilateral events in New York, Brno, and Keszthely, because you contributed greatly to the success of these missions.


Dear Excellencies,

on this first meeting, I wish you all the best for the new year, lots of energy and creative poise in the pursuit of your important diplomatic mission whose purpose is to provide equal benefit to your and my country.

Together with this rather general wish, I also want to share certain thoughts with you that I think should be said at the beginning of the new year ahead of us; certain thoughts that are also in a way related to the year that went by and that we still revisit in our minds, be it objectively from a professional perspective or subjectively in an emotional way.

In the case of the Slovak Republic, we have had one of the best years in our 15-year long existence as an independent country. This fact allows me to highlight that today, we enjoy the position of a politically stable, economically successful and culturally and socially attractive country that continues to gain international credit and recognition. In international relations, there is one rule of thumb. There can be no good foreign policy without clear and transparent rules in the domestic political life. In this respect, it is apparent that the Slovak political landscape possesses standard mechanisms to deal with domestic political crises. Even if there were any throughout the existence of the coalition government, transparent democratic mechanisms were employed without any impact on Slovakia’s foreign policy position.
Neither the internal integrity of a country nor its ability to promote ideas can be maintained without the minorities having a dignified place in the system. In minority policy, Slovakia can serve as an example for its partner EU Member States. It is, however, up to the political leaders whether in their approach to minority issues they choose to focus on the challenges lying ahead of us or keep dusting off the shadows of the past. The Slovak Republic champions the first option.
I believe that, in saying that, I am not being „pompous“, although I realize that my words are not „overly modest“either. To put it in a different way, in its fifteen years of existence as an independent country, the Slovak Republic has turned itself into a confident, transparent and reliable constituent of the international community of democratic countries, whose policy and diplomacy are effectively integrated into the activities of this community, geared towards advancing the cause of peace, security, tolerance and prosperity for the nations and countries of the whole world.

In the same spirit I addressed my fellow citizens on the first day of this year, referring to their justified pride in that, despite its short existence, Slovakia has become a modern European state avowing common European values. Whether in diplomatic or security area, Slovakia has actively taken on its share of responsibility for the destiny of those who live in war-torn parts of the world. The participation of the Slovak Republic in taking decisions on truly global issues is a major moral challenge and contentment in out fifteen-year history. It is a confirmation of us being politically mature and firmly anchored in the community of democratic nations.

What gave me the confidence to say this to my fellow citizens? And why am I reiterating it before this respected assembly of experienced foreign diplomats? It is because I am convinced that we did well in our capacity as non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, a post we held for two years until quite recently, a post which has given us an experience of truly exceptional significance. This year, Slovakia holds the presidency of the Council of Europe whose respectful agenda in the protection of human and civil rights has also found its reflection in the correct and transparent conduct of the Slovak Republic in this area.

Many of you will surely recall that last year – as I was standing before you in the immediate aftermath of parliamentary elections – I gave the Diplomatic Corps in Slovakia my assurances that the primary interest of the foreign policy and diplomacy of my country would be to operate as a solid, predictable and sought-for partner in all international activities geared towards strengthening international security, intensifying mutually beneficial economic cooperation, facing the challenges of dynamic globalisation, and defending the national specificities and identity. With great satisfaction I can reiterate those assurances today. I find it equally appropriate to draw your informed attention to the element of continuity and stability, which is not always overly obvious and whish you have encountered or will encounter during your mission in Slovakia.

It should not come as a surprise to you that the Slovak diplomacy considered the demanding tasks and challenges of the past year as opportunities to gain new experience and strengthen the position of our country on the international scene. Filled with pride and satisfaction may I add that if we succeeded, and we surely did, we may reap the benefits of our international endeavours. We want to do so in understanding and cooperation with the countries which you represent in Slovakia.

In conclusion, let me thank you again for everything you have personally done to contribute towards creating the favourable climate in which Slovakia is developing its relations with your countries and nations. I find your efforts very promising now that we have passed the doorstep of another year which – as you are well aware – is not bound to be easier or more certain in terms of strengthening international security and peace, nor in terms of securing permanently sustainable economic development in the world.

Let me wish you, and through you, to the heads of the states and nations that you represent, all the best!

Please, extend my gratitude to your highest representatives for their New Year’s greetings and wishes, which were also addressed to my fellow citizens.

May the New Year be happy and prosperous for all of us!