HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK ---------------------------
http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2003/03/3-CEE/cee-100303.asp Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty March 10, 2003 SLOVAK PREMIER SAYS UN SECURITY COUNCIL FACES 'TEST OF RESPONSIBILITY' -The latest polls show that, against the backdrop of the Iraq crisis, support dropped to 46 percent in January, while opposition to membership rose to 48 percent. Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda told journalists on 8 March that the UN Security Council faces a "test of responsibility" this week as it debates a new resolution on Iraq, CTK reported. He said this test will demonstrate whether the council's resolutions must be fulfilled fully and unconditionally, or Iraq can continue "deceiving" the international community. Dzurinda also said dozens of Slovak citizens are expected to return from Kuwait in the coming days, TASR reported. He was speaking after a meeting with Foreign Minister Eduard Kukan and Interior Minister Ivan Simko at which they discussed, among other things, the evacuation of Slovak citizens from Middle Eastern countries in view of possible military operations against Iraq. Dzurinda said Slovakia is coordinating possible evacuation steps with the Czech Republic, adding that the same day he discussed such coordination with Czech Premier Spidla. The Foreign Ministry on 7 March decided to evacuate from Israel and Syria the families of Slovak diplomatic staff. Dzurinda also expressed concern in view of waning support for Slovakia's expected NATO membership as shown in opinion polls. He said he will discuss with Kukan and Simko measures aimed at boosting support for NATO membership to 60 percent. The latest polls show that, against the backdrop of the Iraq crisis, support dropped to 46 percent in January, while opposition to membership rose to 48 percent. MS NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL 'DISAPPOINTED' BY LACK OF SLOVAK ENTHUSIASM FOR MEMBERSHIP -Robertson said Slovakia must persuade the Atlantic alliance that its security bodies can be entrusted with classified information and that it is a country with a reliable, strong, and independent [sic] system of security screening. NATO Secretary-General Lord George Robertson said in Brussels on 9 March that he is "disappointed" by the low level of popular support in Slovakia for NATO membership, TASR reported. Robertson, due to begin a visit to Slovakia on 10 March, added that what counts is "long-term support" and not fluctuating opinion-poll results. "I believe that people in Slovakia are sufficiently reasonable, clever, intelligent, and far-sighted to realize that NATO membership is a great advantage for them, and even more so for future generations," he said. Robertson also said it would be "disgraceful" if the allegations made in January by the British defense journal "Jane's Intelligence Digest" turned out to be accurate. The journal wrote that the Slovak Intelligence Service (SIS) continues to be involved in arms trafficking, collaborates with Russian intelligence, conducts illegal phone tapping, and is involved in smear campaigns against politicians. Robertson said Slovakia must persuade the Atlantic alliance that its security bodies can be entrusted with classified information and that it is a country with a reliable, strong, and independent system of security screening. MS __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, more http://taxes.yahoo.com/ --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bdn7KI.YXJjaGl2 Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] TOPICA - Start your own email discussion group. FREE! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/create/index2.html ==^================================================================
