US embassy cable - 04BRATISLAVA463

UNCLAS  BRATISLAVA 000463 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR S/ES-CR, S/ES-O, EUR 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: OPDC, AMGT, LO 
SUBJECT:  PRESIDENT SCHUSTER LETTER TO PRESIDENT BUSH 
 
REF:  STATE 27344 
 
1.  Post received May 6 a letter dated May 4 from Slovak 
President Schuster (who leaves office June 15) to 
President Bush, and transmits text per reftel. 
 
Begin text: 
 
President of the Slovak Republic 
 
Bratislava, 4 May 2004 
 
Your Excellency, 
 
In connection with my forthcoming departure from the 
office of head of state, which I have held since June 
1999, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you 
in recognition of your exceptional contribution to the 
development of Slovak-American relationships during this 
period thanks to your good will towards Slovakia and its 
citizens. 
 
I consider the past five years of our mutual relations to 
have been an exceptionally productive time, thanks in 
part to our direct personal dialogue.  In this I see a 
good basis for the future and it is my belief that you 
will also continue to develop and enhance the ties of 
mutual solidarity with my successor to this office, 
particularly since we have recently become a member 
country of the North Atlantic Alliance. 
 
It is with pleasure that I look back on our meetings, 
which were held in the spirit of friendship and supported 
my opinion of you as a great leader and a man of 
decisions.  It is my belief that history will objectively 
judge all of your personal and political actions which 
you have undertaken during your term of office in one of 
the most important positions in world politics.  One of 
the most debated decisions was the military intervention 
in Iraq and the toppling of the dictatorial regime of 
Saddam Hussein.  I am convinced that this action was 
justified, and history will show the correctness of this 
decision.  I know from personal experience that those who 
take brave and pioneering decisions seldom receive 
acknowledgment at the time.  It is only after an 
appropriate interval, when passion subsides and reality 
resurfaces, that the scales tip in their favour. 
 
Your Excellency, I would also like to take this 
opportunity to acknowledge the high quality of the 
successful mission of the Ambassador of the United States 
of America to the Slovak Republic, Mr. Ronald Weiser, who 
undertook a great deal of work for the development of 
Slovak-American cooperation in all areas of our joint 
interests.  I would like to emphasise that the Ambassador 
had a significant role in the exceptional development of 
Slovak-American relations and political dialogue, which 
thanks to his endeavours reached a level of intensity and 
quality which they had never previously attained.  I 
particularly value his work in the area of the 
development of economic cooperation and in the 
presentation of business and investment opportunities in 
Slovakia for American businessmen.  I am greatly 
appreciative of the productive contacts of Ambassador 
Weiser with Slovak constitutional bodies, his untiring 
work meeting citizens from all the regions of Slovakia 
and his excellent preparation which enabled him to better 
understand Slovakia.  I would like to state that I 
consider him to be one of the very best ambassadors with 
which I have had the opportunity to cooperate. 
 
I should like in conclusion, Your Excellency, to assure 
you that I remain an ardent supporter of the systematic 
development of Slovak-American relations.  I shall also 
continue to support you in the fight against 
international terrorism and the defence of human rights 
worldwide.  I am certain that your eminent qualities and 
professional attributes will again ensure your victory in 
the forthcoming presidential elections, and in this 
regard I would like to express my personal support to 
you.  I would consider it as an honour, if we maintained 
our good personal contacts in the future. 
 
In conclusion, I would like to express to you my deepest 
respect and I also wish you and your dear wife Laura all 
the best. 
 
His Excellency 
 
George W. Bush 
President of the United States of America 
 
Washington 
 
End text. 
 
Thayer 
 
 
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