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# 									Joint Statement on the Strategic Dialogue between Slovenia and the United States							

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

February 23, 2023

*The following is the text of a joint statement by the Governments of Slovenia and the United States of America after the third U.S.-Slovenia Strategic Dialogue held in Washington D.C.*

*Begin text:*

The Governments of Slovenia and the United States held the third U.S.-Slovenia Strategic Dialogue February 22 in Washington.  The annual strategic dialogue series demonstrates the strength and importance of our bilateral relationship and cooperation on a broad range of topics.  We remain committed to the shared values that have underpinned our partnership over the past three decades.

State Secretary Samuel Žbogar and Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman led the discussion.  Representatives from the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and Government Information Security Office and the U.S. Departments of State and Treasury participated.  The strategic dialogue focused on global and regional security issues; multilateral cooperation and strengthening partnerships; economic, energy, and climate cooperation; strengthening resilience and fighting disinformation; and cyber security.

On global and regional security issues, Slovenia and the United States stand resolutely with Ukraine and its people.  In concert with our European and global allies, the United States and Slovenia are supporting the people of Ukraine’s efforts to defend their country and democracy against Russia’s brutal war of aggression.  Together, we emphasized NATO’s unity and solidarity and the importance of NATO’s strong deterrence and defense posture.  We intend to work together to ensure merited advancement of the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of Western Balkans nations that have done the hard work to qualify.  We also exchanged views on the Indo-Pacific region.

On multilateral cooperation and strengthening partnerships, both sides discussed our close and continuing coordination on a number of regional and global issues in a variety of multilateral fora.  The United States welcomes Slovenia’s candidacy for the UN Security Council for the 2024-2025 term and believes Slovenia to be a very well qualified candidate, which, if elected, would be a credible voice in contributing to the maintenance of international peace and security.

On economic, clean energy, and climate cooperation, both sides discussed the importance of and opportunities for increasing trade and investment ties, advancing energy security, and collaborating on addressing global climate challenges.  The United States continues to support European countries’ efforts to diversify their energy sources away from Russia.  Both the United States and Slovenia intend to continue to enhance our civil nuclear cooperation under the auspices of the Nuclear Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding that was signed at the inaugural strategic dialogue in 2020, including through study visits, information sharing, and exchanges of experts.  The United States is tailoring an International Visitor Leadership Program on Smart and Integrated Ports specifically for Slovenia in order to broaden cooperation between our two countries’ ports and maritime agencies.  Slovenia also informed that the proposal to sign the Artemis Accords, a non-binding set of principles to guide the responsible exploration of outer space, is under consideration.

On strengthening resilience and fighting disinformation, Slovenia and the United States condemned Russia’s use of disinformation and other forms of malign influence.  We reaffirmed our growing partnership in countering disinformation and discussed concrete ways to address this issue through a whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach.

And on cyber security, both sides recognized the value of greater cooperation to respond to the proliferation of cyber threats and to promote shared values and responsible state behavior in cyberspace.  The United States welcomed a delegation of Slovenian cyber experts to Washington to deepen understanding of our respective national systems and exchange best practices.

Slovenia and the United States expressed a strong interest in continuing to deepen our strategic partnership going forward.  The next strategic dialogue will be hosted in Slovenia in 2024.

*End text.*

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Bureau of European and Eurasian AffairsDeputy Secretary of StateOffice of the SpokespersonSlovenia

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