PRAGUE, Jan. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- Slovakia will deploy about 6,000 security forces for next month's summit between US President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Slovak capital of Bratislava, Interior Minister Vladimir Palko said Wednesday.

    Palko said the government has earmarked 205 million koruny (7 million US dollars) for the security and related services for the Feb. 24 summit and that some 5,500 Slovak policemen and some 400 firefighters will be on duty.

    The US and Russian security agencies will work with the Slovak side to protect the two leaders, he added.

    Palko said this would be the largest security operation in his country. The latest major international event that demanded heavy security was Pope John Paul II's visit in 2003. Enditem