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National Day Greetings
Ljubljana, 06/23/2003 | press release
On the occasion of Slovenia’s National Day, President Dr. Janez Drnovšek has lately been receiving numerous messages of congratulation from foreign leaders.
"We find ourselves in a period of great change in the United Nations. We can no longer delay, if we wish to carry out the peace and development programme as planned in the Millennium Declaration. In the international community we must double our efforts if we wish to leave to our children a world of choice and not limitation, encompassed by poverty, pollution, AIDS, armed conflict and terrorism. We must do more in those areas that bind us, so that we might take advantage of common opportunities and defend ourselves from all those dangers and forces that might divide humanity. In fulfilling this noble, global mission it is encouraging to know that the UN can rely on the continued leadership, commitment and support of Slovenia”, wrote UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in his message to the President of Slovenia, the country and its citizens.
"This year was a groundbreaking year for the friendship of our nations. Last year’s invitation to join Nato, which the alliance extended to Slovenia, and this year’s ratification of the agreement on Slovenia’s entry into the Nato alliance on the part of the American Senate were historic steps. Slovenia and the USA are already partners, since they are both fighting for stability and democracy and for respect of human rights in the Balkans, Afghanistan and other crisis regions”, wrote US President George W. Bush in his message of congratulation.
German President Johannes Rau wrote: "Your country can look back with pride on a dynamic and successful year. Slovenia has in an effective way carried out the political and economic reforms that are necessary for accession to the EU, and voted in favour of the EU with a large majority. And there is no longer any obstacle to membership of Nato, for which your country has prepared itself intensively.”
"The imminent entry of your country into the EU and Nato alliance represent the goal that Italy has eagerly advocated. I look forward to major progress within our bilateral cooperation. Our countries are linked by friendly feelings that are enhanced by the presence of the autochthonous Italian community in Istria”, wrote Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi in his congratulatory message.
"Personally I ascribe great importance to the friendship and sympathy which unite our countries and which will be further strengthened by the future accession to the EU. I am pleased that we will be able to build together a strong Europe, which will be a factor of peace and prosperity for its citizens and for the whole world”, wrote French President Jacques Chirac in his message of congratulation.
Messages of congratulation were also sent by Pope John Paul II, Austrian President Thomas Klestil, Sweden’s King Carl Gustaf, Belgian King Albert, President of the Republic of Ireland Mary McAleese, President of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Borislav Paravac, Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos, President of the People’s Republic of China Hu Jintao, Israeli President Moshe Katsav, Indian President T. P. Sreenivasan, President of the Republic of Maldives Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Seychelles President France Albert Rene, President of Bangladesh Lajuddin Ahmed, and the King of Bahrain, H. B. I. Al-Kaif.
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Office of the President of the Republic
Erjavčeva 17
SI-1000 Ljubljana
Slovenia
phone: +386 1 478 12 22
fax: +386 1 478 13 57
gp.uprs@up-rs.si
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