Lecture by Zsolt Németh,
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary
at the event “US-Hungary Military Cooperation”, Hungarian Institute for International Affairs,
Budapest, April 22, 2013.

Excellency, Major General, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Our alliance, NATO was founded in a historical situation, when the focus of American security was on Europe. In those times, after WW2, it was a key question for the fate of the world that the US leagues with the free part of Europe.

The world is changing, though:
•    The focus of America’s security policy has turned to Asia – this is already a commonplace.
•    However America’s economic focus, however, has turned to Europe more than ever: and that is less of a commonplace. However, this is becoming more and more evident since America and Europe have “put the pedal to the metal” in the progress of Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

The reason why our strongest ally focuses her security policy on Asia is not that us, Europeans are not beloved any more. It is so, rather because the strategists in Washington sense now more challenge over there. And once they sense them there, they must be there.

We, Europeans should value that. We, Hungarians at least do value that. The situation of global security is however in a state that leaves us no time for national or continental indignation. Dialogue, reciprocal discreetness and solidarity are needed between allies now.

America’s economic focus on Europe is quite interesting and it is quite a novelty, and the fundamental motivation behind is the restoration of the economic integration between Europe and the US, which can set the economic and power balance of the world back into an even position. This is not only in the interest of the EU and the US but also the entire world. That is the most important question of world politics at the moment, in a European dimension.

This is a key question for us, Hungarians as well. Thus we are ready to play an absolutely constructive role in the creation of the new American-European free trade zone, which could   also be called the “economic NATO” not without a reason.
Is there any significance of our bilateral military cooperation in this new situation?

Yes, there is because security is one of the most important elements of competitiveness, of economic competitiveness as well. No one is eager to put money into a region that lacks a strong security guarantee. NATO is the organization that can play the main role in the security of the economic region built through the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. It is not enough to create this economic region: we must make this region successful as well. One essential, although not satisfactory condition of that, is maintaining the authority, the deterrent power and the internal cohesion of NATO.

How do we, Hungarians look at NATO? I could talk in length about the dimensions of the several forms of Hungarian-American co-operation and Hungarian participation in NATO missions so far: our part in stabilizing the Balkans, the first NATO AWACS aircraft in Hungary in 1992 flying from the Taszár airbase, then the logistical transport battalion in Iraq, the joint operational engagement in the Afghanistan operation, the force protection tasks at Kabul International Airport, the NATO Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC) based at Pápa airbase, which is a prominent example for multilateral cooperation or Smart Defense, the NATO Centre of Excellence for Military Medicine.

We are grateful to the U.S. for the essential material, logistical and training support which has proved to be critical in enhancing the capabilities of the Hungarian Defense Forces, and thus enabled us to contribute successfully to both coalition and NATO-led operations. But these times are not for looking back and recalling the results of the past. Today, we must say “what you can do for your country”, for your continent, for your alliance, for your region. Today, we must turn towards the future.
Please, allow me to mention three important aspects, related to the future of NATO – how we, Hungarians look at NATO:
One of the basic questions of the future is to what extent and in what share of burden can the Alliance finance its capacities that guarantee its global authority.

The Hungarian government is not only ready for common thinking about these questions but also does his business in that field: we defined the financial path on which we can catch up with our allies in the defense budget according to the GDP-ratio. We also count on a growing Hungarian GDP from this year which extends our share as well. So, our contribution to the common security and its budget is going to raise significantly, in ratio and in absolute numbers as well.

The other basic question of the allies is the system of global partnership. Do we want NATO to be able to effect even faraway parts of the world where security challenges generate in order to serve NATO members’ needs? This a fundamental question of the future.  We, Hungarians think that giving that up would be equal to accept that Europe only passively endures the processes of global politics and does not actively shape them. But Europe deserves more. I have been basically talking about Europe because the US is and will be a global player anyway: either with us or without us. But I believe that the world, the closer world, the broader Middle East, the Far East, in the midst of the Asian tensions and problems  needs Europe, too. The world needs a strong alliance of Europe and the US in every field, including security matters.

That’s why we welcome warmly NATO Secretary General Rasmussen’s joint declaration with Japan on developing co-operation between the two sides. And that’s why we appreciate and expect the continued US political and military commitment towards Europe through the establishment of NATO’s missile defense system. Although it is being altered nowadays, that system is still there, at hand. That is why we value and expect the maintaining of the nuclear deterrence, and that is why we hope for and expect substantial conventional military presence of the US as well joint exercises simulating Article 5 scenarios.

Exactly that’s what gives a specific importance for our bilateral military co-operation with the US, not in conventional areas bur there are other promising fields, as well, like cyber defense. The possibility of various common Hungarian-US research and development projects could also be explored, on a bilateral level as well.

And thirdly, let me mention something that is less directly a military cause but very important for the future of NATO. That is one of the most important issues of the next NATO summit. The next NATO summit must be an enlargement summit. We should not forget that. I do hope that the enlargement will have a fundamental effect on the Western Balkans. We should not forget that the Western Balkans is an unfinished business. We have Albania in the alliance, but what about the Slavic Western Balkans? We need the Slavic Western Balkans as well, integrated into NATO, and I think that now, as the Kosovo-Serbia deal has been signed by the two prime ministers, the conditions are absolutely favorable to talk about the future Montenegrin and the Macedonian NATO-membership. We would like to “knock on heaven’s door”, on America’s door, on all doors, so that this next summit be an enlargement summit. And this is not only the interest of Montenegro or of Macedonia, but it is for the sake of the credibility of our organization. It is about our transatlantic credibility, whether we make this enlargement happen at the next summit.

When NATO was forged, in the founding Treaty not only the collective defense was included but also economic solidarity. We tend to forget about that. Although not in NATO framework but essentially this solidarity is being realized in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. Thus the founding fathers’ dream is becoming complete now: A strong NATO plays a key role in the successful realization of this transatlantic partnership. And vice versa: NATO may be a major beneficiary of this transatlantic economic and trade partnership through a multitude of channels, at last but not at least: in the field of military economic cooperation, which may well be a fundamental component of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.  And if this becomes a success story than life will be better in Europe, life will be better in America and it will be better all over the world.

Thank you for your attention!

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs)