Blanar Meets Counterparts from Countries in Which Slovakia Will Open Embassies

New York, September 26 (TASR) - Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) on Wednesday held bilateral talks with his counterparts from Algeria, Jordan, Malaysia and Uzbekistan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, TASR has learnt from the Foreign Affairs Ministry. In late August, the Slovak government introduced a change in the network of Slovak embassies abroad and the development of economic diplomacy. The changes included the creation of four new embassies in Algeria, Malaysia, Tanzania and the Philippines. The Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia and Tanzania praised the opening of Slovak missions with the aim of bolstering mutually beneficial cooperation. The Algerian minister, also praising Slovakia's decision, announced that his country will reciprocally open its own embassy in Bratislava. Algeria covers approximately 18 percent of the EU's natural gas needs and is ready to expand its supplies to Slovakia using its existing infrastructure. Blanar and his Uzbekistani counterpart signed an agreement on economic cooperation between the two countries. The document will allow Slovak entrepreneurs to establish a better foothold on the Uzbekistani market and promote mutual turnover between the countries, claimed Blanar. During his talks with the Jordanian minister, Blanar reaffirmed his support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and stressed the need to conclude a ceasefire as quickly as possible. zel/df