What role does Slovakia play in the EU? How will the growing bilateral relations between China and Slovakia contribute to the development of the China-EU relationship?

Slovakia is one of the newest members of the EU. We joined the EU in the last wave, but we have to note that Slovakia is a full member of the EU. We strongly support the structural and political dialogues between the EU and China, including the formulation of their new partnership agreement.

Slovakia is working very hard at the EU headquarters in Brussels toward the success of this new agreement. But this communication is not going through the capitals of Bratislava and Beijing, but the EU members are communicating together to reach one common position or one common foreign policy with China.

The EU is a union of countries. A common position has to be found in Brussels. We are just part of the common voice. We not only support but also participate in all the foreign policy activities as a member of the union.

How are the two countries working together on international issues?

At the multilateral level, Slovakia and China have good cooperation in the UN Security Council. China is a permanent number and Slovakia is a non-permanent member of the Security Council. Slovakia is chairing the Security Council from February this year. We have common activities in a specific task---reform of the UN security sector. This is a specific new question that was opened at the highest level of the UN under a Slovak initiative in the presidency of the Security Council. Slovakia and China are cooperating closely, and we appreciate China's support toward this task.

As Slovakia withdrew its troops from Iraq in late February, can you make some comments on Slovakia's military operation in Iraq over the past years?

Our military activities are well known in Iraq. Slovakia is involved in the Iraq question. However, we have never been involved in military fighting. We sent military experts on de-mining to search for and destroy mines and we built bridges. But this group of experts has recently been withdrawn under the decision of the new government. Still, there are a few officers of the Slovak Army in Iraq serving as advisors.

Now we are helping Iraq in another way. We have not withdrawn from the rebuilding of Iraq. For example, we are training Iraqi policemen and educating Iraqi civil servants in Slovakia. We are still offering this country a lot. Slovakia has withdrawn its military part but continues its assistance to Iraq. We have not left the Iraqi security situation but changed our way of assistance.