Slovakia to boost ties with Saudi Arabia

Slovakia is interested in strengthening political dialogue and economic cooperation with Saudi Arabia, Slovakia's Foreign and European Ministry State Secretary Ivan Korčok told the Saudi Minister of the State for Foreign Affairs, Nizar bin Obaid Madani in Riyadh on Thursday. Korčok, who is acting as Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajčák's premier deputy while he is serving as UN General Assembly President until September, proposed to set up a regular mechanism of consultations between the two countries' foreign ministries and sign a Memorandum of Understanding. During a discussion on the situation in Syria, Korčok expressed Slovakia's concerns about the escalation of tension in the country and condemned the use of chemical weapons against civilians. "Those responsible for the [recent] attack must be brought to justice," said Korčok, adding that Slovakia committed itself at a recent donor conference in Brussels to contribute an additional €600,000 towards specific humanitarian activities in Syria.