New Delhi [India], May 6 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday welcomed Slovenia's State Secretary Marko Stucin in New Delhi. The two leaders discussed a 'strong bilateral and multilateral partnership' between India and Slovenia.

Sharing a post on X, Jaishankar wrote, 'Pleased to receive State Secretary @markostucin of Slovenia in Delhi today. Discussed India's strong bilateral and multilateral partnership with Slovenia.'

https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1919717243983917237

Stucin has worked as a career diplomat at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 2006. Initially, in the European Union Department, he was tasked with coordinating Slovenian positions at meetings of the European Council, the Political and Security Committee of the Council of the EU and working bodies in the field of the Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy. During the first Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2008, he was a national delegate to the Council of the EU working group on sanctions.

Slovenia attained independence from erstwhile Yugoslavia in 1991. India recognised Slovenia on May 11, 1992. India supported Slovenia for membership at the UN. Slovenia was admitted into the UN on May 23, 1992.

Diplomatic relations with Slovenia were concretised when the Ambassador of India in Vienna presented credentials on February 3, 1993, for concurrent accreditation to Slovenia. India opened its resident Mission in Ljubljana in February 2007.

Slovenia opened its resident mission in New Delhi on 01 August 2002 and upgraded it to Ambassador-level in September 2009. Slovenian Embassy in New Delhi has concurrent accreditation in Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Slovenia has its Honorary Consuls in India in four cities - Kolkata, Bangalore, Mumbai and Chennai, according to the Embassy of India in Slovenia.

EAM Jaishankar paid a visit to Slovenia to participate in the 16th annual Bled Strategic Forum (BSF) in Bled, Slovenia and to attend the Gymnich meeting of the EU Foreign Ministers from September 2-3, 2021. This was the first ever visit to Slovenia by an Indian Cabinet Rank External Affairs Minister. (ANI)