Minister of Defence travelled to Afghanistan to visit the Hungarian soldiers on mission and conduct talks with the Provincial Governor.

Dr Csaba Hende visited PRT-9 in Afghanistan a week before Christmas. He was accompanied by Eleni Tsakopuolos-Kounalakis the U.S. Ambassador to Hungary, General Tibor Benkő, Chief of the Defence Staff, Péter Siklósi, Deputy State Secretary for Security Policy and Security Planning and Colonel Curtis Steven Milam.

The delegation first paid a visit to Kabul International Airport. Minister of Defence was informed about the life and living conditions as well as the tasks of the Hungarian soldiers on mission by Brigadier General Nándor Kilián, Commander of KAIA and the chiefs of the Logistics Mentor Team, the Special Operations Task Group and the National Intelligence Unit. Afterwards Dr Csaba Hende had talks with General David H. Petraeus, Commander of ISAF. General Petraeus said that the contribution of the Hungarian HDF was in coordination with the objectives of ISAF. U.S. Ambassador Tsakopulos-Kounalakis emphasized that the common participation on mission within the framework of ISAF proved to be an outstanding example of the continuously enhancing American-Hungarian military cooperation since the nineties.

Members of the Hungarian delegation met Major General Riccado Marchio, Deputy Commander of ISAF JC, as well. Visiting the ISAF United Operational Centre the minister said: in coordination with the results of the NATO-summit the Afghan government and the AAF will be able to guarantee the security of the country.

Later members of the delegation visited the Air Operations Centre. General Tibor Benkő expressed his recognition for the high expertise he had experienced in Kabul.

The guests arrived at Camp Pannonia on 16 December. They were received by the Provincial Governor at his Residence. During the talks Csaba Hende underlined that the strength of the Hungarian soldiers on Afghanistan mission had increased considerably. Ambassador Eleni Tsakopuolos-Kounalakis confirmed that the coalition forces would hand over the tasks and the responsibility to the Afghan government by 2014. The Governor thanked the Hungarian soldiers for the dedicated work emphasizing their ability to build a good relationship with the local population.

At the camp the Commander of PRT gave a report on the current security situation of the Province, the ongoing framework and military operations and the challenges PRT would face in the future. At the staff meeting the U.S. Ambassador to Hungary Eleni Tsakopuolos-Kounalakis thanked the PRT for their outstanding work. She ensured to provide the HDF and Hungarian PRT Afghanistan further support. Ambassador Eleni Tsakopuolos-Kounalakis also said that she was pleased to experience the preparedness and the courage of the soldiers on the spot.

Afterwards Defence Minister visited the servicemen of the OMLT at Base Khilagay and finished his programme in Mazar-e Sharif. The Service Signs decorated with swords were handed over by Dr Csaba Hende. Twenty-eight soldiers among others Corporal Béday Kristóf, Corporal Szabó Máté, Staff Sergeant Balla András and First Staff Sergeant Bognár Tibor received the ministerial award in recognition of exceptional dedication to their life-saving duty during the insurgent ambush on 23 August.

Finally the members of the delegation passed holiday greetings on to the Hungarian troops on mission.

Text: Dóra Darnyik