SLOVAK REACTION TO PALESTINIAN ELECTIONS

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000073 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KDEM PREL KPAL UNSC LO SUBJECT: SLOVAK REACTION TO PALESTINIAN ELECTIONS ¶1. (U) The Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs released the following statement on Palestinian election results on January 27. The text is available in English at www.mzv.sk . BEGIN VERBATIM TEXT: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic welcome peaceful atmosphere in which the Palestinian Parliamentary elections took place on January 25, 2006 and high participation of voters, who expressed their interest in political life and decision making. The Ministry expresses its hope that all those elected to the Palestinian legislative Council, will continue to develop existing cooperation with the international community aimed at continuation in peace dialog with representatives of the State of Israel, based on existing agreements and principles included in the "Road Map" of the Middle East peace process. The Ministry would welcome if the first goodwill act of winning Hamas movement will be the recognition of the right for the State Israel to exist peacefully and renounce of use of violence as a confirmation of its interest to reach the Palestinian statehood through the peaceful negotiations. The Slovak Republic acting also as the non-permanent member of the Security Council of the United Nation Organization intents to play constructive role in the peace process in the Middle East. Representatives of the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs participated in the monitoring of the elections within the EU's monitoring mission. END VERBATIM TEXT. VALLEE