On the twelfth anniversary of the terrorist attacks, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary commemorates all those who perished on September 11, 2001, in the cities of New York and Washington, D.C., as well as in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. We honour the victims and express our solidarity with those who lost their loved ones in this heinous attack.

In line with commemorating that tragic day we also wish to reconfirm our commitment to the values of liberty and democracy that the terrorists sought – and failed – to destroy. We believe that an unsolicited consequence of these cowardly acts was indeed the strengthening of transatlantic solidarity, as well as of our resolve to combat terrorism on a global scale.

It is our assessment that terrorism and the errant ideologies behind these attacks still constitute a threat to our community. Therefore, we stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies on the other side of the Atlantic in our common fight against terrorist networks worldwide. Security cooperation between allies and partners, as well as the deployment of appropriate measures, are key factors in achieving success in our joint endeavour against terrorism.

It is in this spirit of remembrance that we wish to commemorate the anniversary of the tragedy that befell the American Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11, 2012, claiming the lives of four U.S. citizens, including that of Ambassador Chris Stevens. The turbulent times recently experienced in the region of North Africa and the Middle East serve as a reminder for all of us in the transatlantic community. We deem it essential to combine our efforts in order to further our common values in the region and beyond, while combating terrorist networks.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs)