A strong and united America is in Hungary’s best interest, said Gergely Prőhle, Deputy State Secretary of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Washington DC on 6 December, at the 22nd annual dinner of the Hungarian American Coalition.

The diplomat emphasised the importance of the United States as a crucial point of reference for Hungary in political, economic as well as in cultural terms. In this context he expressed his gratitude to the Hungarian diaspora in the United States for its contribution to the dialogue between the two countries.

Mr Prőhle said that it can be easily understood how some recent developments in Hungary, including the pace of reforms were received in Washington with a certain degree of confusion. He pointed out nevertheless that the current Hungarian Government inherited a deep crisis when it was elected in 2010, and “if you walk on thin ice, you have to walk fast”.

The Deputy State Secretary recalled the excellent co-operation between the United States and Hungary in the field of security policy. He also pointed out the importance of cultural exchange as a tool of diplomacy in promoting mutual understanding between nations, referring to the success of the Hungarian participation at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington last summer. He also reiterated Hungary’s support for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations.

Mr Pőhle underlined the importance of common values shared by both the United States and Hungary. In this context he referred to the Holocaust Memorial Year of 2014 in Hungary, as well as the future Hungarian presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance in 2015. Hungary’s Ambassador to the United States György Szapáry also spoke at the event, pointing out the importance of the planned museum in Washington to commemorate the victims of Communism.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs)