Dear Mr. Max van der Stoel,

The wave of political changes on the European Continent after the end of the Cold War was followed by destabilization of the region. The process of democratization has brought to surface a number of problems and conflicts previously suppressed by political totalitarianism. In root of a majority of these conflicts lays problematic situation of persons belonging to national minorities. Consequently the situation of national minorities has recently become a course of concerns, tensions, conflicts and instability.

Having in mind importance of this question, the Government of the Slovak Republic, when forming its independent policy, considered minorities topics one of the most important issues. Legal guarantee of rights of persons belonging to national minorities was reflected in the Constitution of the Slovak Republic and positive and constructive approach to minorities issues was made a main principle of the governmental policy.

An evidence of the importance attached to this topic was the invitation to visit Slovakia forwarded to you by then Slovak Minister of Foreign Affairs immediately after your appointment at the Stockholm Ministerial.

I was pleased that the invitation was met by your instant positive reaction resulting in your visit to Slovakia in February this year.

Even not having yet the opportunity to be acknowledged with conclusions of your visit, I take the liberty to express my deep belief that your activities significantly contributed to our common endeavours.

May I reaffirm the interest of my government to henceforth approach questions related to rights of persons belonging to national minorities in the utmost constructive way. I am sure that initiative originated by the Slovak Prime Minister Mr. Vladim�r Me_iar and further developed and elaborated by you would become a positive example; a model; how to approach and deal with questions related to national minorities in other CSCE regions.

The Government of the Slovak Republic fully supports the idea of creating an impartial team of minority rights experts to study situation of national minorities in both, the Slovak Republic and Hungary. At the same time I suggest for your consideration a proposal not to draw attention of the experts only to problems of Hungarians and Slovaks respectively, but to study and analyze the complete governmental policy on national minorities, basing themselves on CSCE principles and commitments.

Allow me to express my hope that further questions (exact mandate of the team, its relation to the CSCE, organizational questions, financial applications etc.) could be considered and decided upon, in cooperation with the Hungarian side, in the shortest time.

Mr. High Commissioner, I am sure that our common activity will be a positive step to extending dialogue, mutual understanding and cooperation on this field with the final aim of strengthening relations among involved CSCE participating States and bodies.

Yours sincerely,

(s i g n a t u r e)

(M o r a v c i k)