"The most significant difference between Hungary’s current foreign policy and the one practiced before 2010 is that the advancement of national interests has been more successful", MFA State Secretary Zsolt Németh declared at the Hungarian Institute for International Affairs on 31 March 2014.
In his assessment of Hungarian foreign policy in 2010-2014, Mr. Németh stressed that it had been crucial that the Hungarian Government had succeeded in defending its social and economic achievements vis-á-vis the pressure exerted by certain Western countries. Today, Hungarian foreign policy is characterised by advancing national interests and developing relations with an economic focus, he added.
The Hungarian MFA State Secretary stated that the objective of the policy of „Eastern opening” was to attract investment and to make friends with more Asian and African countries. He pointed out that bolstering relations with these regions had not in any way altered Hungary’s security policy commitments.
In relation to the crisis in Ukraine, Mr. Németh confirmed that the annexation of the Crimean peninsula was unacceptable to Hungary and that Hungary opposed the enforcement of minority rights through the use of force. He added that Hungary naturally expected that the new Ukrainian government show respect for the rights of minorities.
The Hungarian MFA State Secretary noted that, in order to advance both national and economic interests, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had opened several new missions all over the world.
(Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
