The exceptional skills of Hungarian soldiers serving in Afghanistan have earned great respect for the nation, President János Áder said during a visit to Kabul.

President Áder is the first Hungarian president to visit the troops serving in Afghanistan. He said on Sunday that he wanted to personally express his appreciation for their performance "because your military achievements have enriched the whole of our freedom-loving nation."

He said the soldiers were serving the interests of the entire Hungarian nation and their efforts were advancing the endeavours of the Atlantic treaty and helping Afghans to lead peaceful lives.

More than 500 Hungarian soldiers are serving in Afghanistan, including some 230 serving with the Force Protection Group at Kabul International Airport (KAIA).

Some 170 of the soldiers will return to Hungary next spring and the number remaining will drop significantly further after 2014 when international forces hand over control to local forces.

During his visit, President Áder met his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai in Kabul and German President Joachim Gauck in Mazar-i-Sharif on Monday. Karzai highly acknowledged the performance of Hungarian troops and expressed his gratitude for their work. He also expressed hope that bilateral cooperation would continue even after the withdrawal of international forces in 2014. The two presidents discussed the possibilities of developing economic and educational cooperation.

At present, two dozen Afghan students are attending Hungarian universities.
President Áder's meeting with German Head of State Joachim Gauck was aimed at preparing the Hungarian president's visit to Berlin scheduled for March 2013. The German president praised the excellent cooperation between Hungarian and German troops in Afghanistan. About 50 Hungarian soldiers are currently stationed at the Mazar-i-Sharif base under German command.

(Ministry of Defence)