Collective defence must continue to remain NATO’s chief focus, and missile defence is an important means in achieving this, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in Chicago at the opening meeting of NATO’s 25th summit where he also urged the accession of Macedonia and Montenegro to the military alliance within the shortest possible time.

The NATO enlargements made to date have proved to be a success story, and integration must therefore continue, the Premier announced at the two-day summit held in the metropolis in the United States. The Hungarian Government fully supports the accession of Macedonia and Montenegro to NATO within the shortest possible time, Viktor Orbán said.

The Prime Minister also said at the meeting that, amidst the current security challenges, we need the closest possible cooperation between the member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO. It is therefore important, he explained, that collective defence should continue to remain NATO’s chief focus and mission, and missile defence is an important means in achieving this.

Viktor Orbán also stated that regional cooperation schemes must play an important role within NATO, including, for instance, the cooperation of the Visegrád 4 (V4) countries, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. He drew attention to the importance of a meeting with the participation of the member states that make the greatest contribution to NATO’s missions.

The leaders of NATO’s 28 member states started the 25th summit of the alliance in Chicago on Sunday where they discussed, inter alia, the possible strategy for a gradual exit from Afghanistan, the “smart defence” concept and missile defence. Minister for Foreign Affairs János Martonyi and Minister of Defence Csaba Hende are also members of the Hungarian delegation led by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

On the second day of the summit, on Monday delegates will particularly focus on NATO’s role in Afghanistan, including the issues of transition, the funding of security forces, NATO’s role beyond 2014 and long-term partnership. At present, some 130 thousand troops from ally and partner countries are stationed in Afghanistan. NATO forces are gradually handing over the lead in military operations to the Afghans and according to the planned schedule, the vast majority of them will leave the country by the beginning of 2015.

(Fotó: Miniszterelnökség - Burger Barna)

(kormany.hu)