Deputy State Secretary Gergely Prőhle held talks with his Austrian counterparts in Vienna on Tuesday. At his meeting with Jan Kickert, Political Director of the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he presented the programs of Hungarian Presidency for the Central European Initiative in 2013 and the Visegrád Cooperation for 2013/14.

The parties discussed issues of economic development including cross border transport development with respect to the Central European region. As regards Croatia’s upcoming accession to the European Union, the Hungarian Deputy State Secretary declared that „It is in the interest of both countries that the dynamics of enlargement be maintained, and we hope that there will be no administrative obstacles to Croatia joining the EU this year.”

The Hungarian Deputy State Secretary also signed an agreement with Johannes Kyrle, Secretary-General for Foreign Affairs, about opening a Hungarian consular office at the Austrian mission in Luxemburg.

Deputy State Secretary Prőhle had consultations with Martin Eichtigner, Director General for Cultural Policy, on the commemorations concerning the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War I. „The most important message is that only the recognition of cultural diversity and reconciliation between nations can lead to stability in our region as well as on the entire continent” - stated Deputy State Secretary Gergely Prőhle.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs)