State Secretary Štucin holds political consultations in Reykjavik
The interlocutors agreed that relations between the two countries are traditionally good and friendly and that the dynamics of contacts and meetings between the representatives of the two countries has been on the rise in recent years. State Secretary Štucin thanked his counterpart for Iceland's financial contribution to the EEA Financial Mechanism, which constitutes a good basis for enhancing bilateral cooperation. In this context, he pointed to the project “Equal Opportunities in Diplomacy”, which was implemented in cooperation between the two foreign ministries and funded by the EEA Financial Mechanism, as an example of good practice.
The state secretaries also expressed their desire to further strengthen multilateral cooperation, as the two countries have similar positions and shared interests in the international arena, including in the field of human rights and gender equality, and in the pursuit of effective multilateralism. Slovenia and Iceland also collaborate in a number of other like-minded groups, including the Green Group.
In the discussion on current foreign policy issues, State Secretary Štucin stressed the importance of maintaining a credible EU enlargement policy and noted that the Western Balkans region must remain a geostrategic priority for the EU. They also strongly condemned the Hamas attack on Israel.
As part of his visit, State Secretary Štucin also met with the foreign policy adviser in the Prime Minister’s Office, Auðunn Atlason, with whom he discussed the situation in Israel and Gaza, the Western Balkans and the situation in relations with Russia.