The Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes the UN General Assembly resolution of the 14th July 2011 adopted by acclamation to admit the Republic of South Sudan as the 193rd member state of the organisation. The Republic of Hungary is to open diplomatic relations with the new African state as soon as possible.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs learned with sorrow of the bomb attack of the 13th July 2011 in Mumbai.
Mandated by the UN General Assembly’s resolution, the International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East is held for the nineteenth occasion on the 12th and 13th of July in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary. An estimated number of 80 participants, especially from the Middle East and Central Europe, have gathered to exchange ideas and cooperate in order to promote the peace process between Israel and the Palestinian territories, and to bring this issue closer to public awareness through dialogue and mutual understanding.
In a letter addressed to the Hungarian Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the European External Action Service has today requested Hungary to continue representing the European Union in Libya through the second half of 2011, which Hungary has accepted.
Hungary welcomes the results of the referendum held about Morocco’s new constitution on 1 July, which gives evidence of Morocco’s commitment to reforms and good governance.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs appreciates that the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe welcomes the fact that the new Hungarian Constitution establishes a constitutional order based on democracy, the rule of law and the protection of fundamental rights as underlying principles.
The United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention (UNODC) in cooperation with the Hungarian Government and the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) held a seminar in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 17 June 2011. The theme of the event was the exchange of international and regional experience concerning the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Strategy; the seminar focused on the Central Asian and African regions.
Seminar on Promoting Awareness of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and Efforts Made to Implement the Strategy at the National, Regional and International Levels organized by the UNODC and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Hungary.
Bilateral relations between Hungary and Australia are in excellent shape, Hungarian Foreign Minister János Martonyi agreed with his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd following their bilateral meeting on 7 June. On the side-lines of the ASEM meeting the two foreign ministers signed a Social Security Agreement between Hungary and Australia.
On the side-lines of the ASEM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, on June 6 2011, Peter Rider Ambassador of New Zealand to Berlin accredited to Hungary and János Hóvári deputy state-secretary signed the bilateral Working Holiday Scheme. This Agreement provides the opportunity to young New Zealanders and Hungarians travelling to each other’s countries to get a temporary working permit.
The Hungarian Presidency considers the cooperation with NGOs essential, Minister of State of the Foreign Ministry, Enikő Győri said in her welcoming speech, on 3 June 2011 in Budapest, on Social Enterprise Day.
The Hungarian Government has decided to answer positively the request of the Government of the United States to assume the protection of American diplomatic and consular interests in Libya.
Poland wishes to continue the Hungarian Presidency’s efforts to make the EU stronger and more dynamic, stressed the Secretaries of State for EU Integration of both countries, at a press conference in Budapest on 2 June 2011; after discussing the imminent takeover of the Presidency. The Polish Secretary of State called the Hungarian Presidency highly successful.
Enikő Győri, Minister of State for EU Affairs of the Hungarian Foreign Ministry, invited the present and the forthcoming Presidency Trios’ Ministers of State for EU affairs, to a working dinner in Budapest, on 1 June 2011. The meeting focused on the preparations for the Presidency takeover.
At the invitation of Deputy Secretary of State for EU Affairs, Bálint Ódor, the European Directors of the present Spanish–Belgian–Hungarian and the upcoming Polish–Danish–Cypriot Presidency Trio, met on 30 May 2011 in Budapest. The aim of the consultations was to prepare for a smooth takeover between the Trios.
A major cause of the economic crisis is the uncontrollable increase of state debt, and the remedy is a work-driven economy, declared Enikő Győri, Minister of State for EU Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the World Investment Conference held in La Baule, Western France, on 26 May 2011.
There are few things that express the spirit of the Hungarian Presidency as well as volunteering does – Enikő Győri, Minister of State for EU Affairs of the Foreign Ministry, emphasised in the Femmes d’Europe Gala in Brussels on 25 May. With her, the wife of President of the Republic Pál Schmitt, Katalin Makray, also attended the event.
Minister of State for European Union Affairs, Enikő Győri held talks with her Spanish and Belgian counterparts on the preparation of the European Council’s meeting in June; and the present state of the most important Presidency dossiers in Brussels on 23 May. Following the Trio’s discussion, the Minister of State invited Member State Ministers and Ministers of State for EU Affairs to an informal lunch.
I am deeply shocked and saddened by the sudden death of Ronald „Ron” Asmus. Ronald worked between 1997 and 2000 as the U.S Deputy Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, specializing in security policy, NATO and transatlantic relations.
As a friend and ally of the United States, Hungary welcomes the successful military operation aimed at capturing Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaida, as a highly important victory of the international cooperation in the battle against terrorism. Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the most cruel acts of terrorism which have claimed the life of thousands of innocent people died during the firefight.
The Hungarian Presidency continues to strive to conclude discussions with Croatia by June, Minister of State for EU Affairs, Enikő Győri said, reassuring her hosts in Zagreb, on 28 April 2011; after conducting discussions with Chief Advisor to the Croatian Prime Minister Davor Stier and Foreign State Secretary for European Integration Andrej Plenković.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs invites tenders for the provision of services related to the receipt of applications for Schengen visas in New Delhi. Deadline for submission of tenders: 11 May, 2011.
Stepping up fast-start climate financing commitments – taking action on adaptation needs of the most vulnerable countries.
The Hungarian Presidency welcomes the European Parliament’s (EP) commitment to the single market, Minister of State for EU Affairs, Enikő Győri, announced in the debate at the EP’s plenary meeting, held in Strasbourg on 6 April 2011. According to the Ms Győri, EU institutions have to give a joint political incentive to the internal market.
The European Parliament’s (EP) evaluation on the accession process of both Iceland and Macedonia is well balanced, Minister of State for EU Affairs, Enikő Győri, said at the EP’s plenary meeting on 6 April 2011, in Strasbourg. However, in the case of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, she urged for greater efforts, and promoted the start of accession negotiations.
The European Commission presented its views on a feasible European framework for the national Roma strategies on 5 March 2011, in Strasbourg. At the plenary session, the Presidency welcomed the Commission’s proposal. Beforehand, the European Parliament expressed its opinion on the topic as well.
“We are pleased with the first three months of the Hungarian Presidency and are preparing for the next three months with unchanged commitment and dynamism,” Minister of State for EU affairs, Enikő Győri, said receiving a delegation of the European Affairs Committee of the French National Assembly, led by Deputy Chairman, Gérard Voisin, during a visit to Budapest on 4 April 2011.
Created exclusively for this semester, the publications „Europe in Budapest – a guide to its many cultures” and „Danube Bridges – from the Black Forest to the Black Sea” were presented by Minister of State for EU Affairs, Enikő Győri, in Tiger Wine Bar, one of the restaurants in Budapest functioning as the Presidency’s wine bar.
The European Union regards the mutiny of 1 April 2010 in Guinea-Bissau and the subsequent appointment of its main instigators to high-ranking posts in the military hierarchy, as a breach of essential elements of the Cotonou Partnership Agreement. Therefore, the European Union terminated its common security and defence policy support mission, and as a precautionary measure, suspended some of its development cooperation activities. The EU invited the Government of Guinea-Bissau, to engage in consultations under Article 96, of the Cotonou Agreement on actions necessary for the country to resume operations in compliance with the Partnership Agreement’s principles, respecting human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law.
The consensus on the package of six legislative proposals aimed at creating common economic governance reached at the Council meeting at the end of March, the progress associated with the future of cohesion policy, the Common Agricultural Policy, energy policy, the Roma strategy and the Danube Region strategy – these can be considered as the greatest achievements during the first three months of the Hungarian EU Presidency. Following you can read a short mid-term review of the professional achievements.