Summary of the meeting of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán with the Secretary General of NATO
3 June 2010
Secretary General of NATO Anders Fogh Rasmussen received Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Minister of Foreign Affairs János Martonyi for an introductory meeting.
The Secretary General praised Hungary for its commitment to and achievements within the Alliance, despite the economic difficulties, placing particular emphasis on Hungarian participation on the Afghan stabilization process and the leading role played by Hungary in the C-17 program based at Pápa. The Prime Minister reaffirmed Hungary’s commitment to NATO and transatlantic cooperation, its steadfastness regarding continued participation in the Alliance’s efforts in Afghanistan and its intention to raise defence spending as a proportion of GDP. He added that the government’s first priority in national security, and in this regard NATO’s role as a defence alliance is indispensable. With respect to the Western Balkans, both the Prime Minister and the Secretary General underlined the importance of the region and the successful functioning of NATO’s operation in Kosovo. In the context of NATO’s new Strategic Concept, there was agreement on both sides of the need to preserve the Alliance’s collective defence role. Prime Minister Orbán noted that Hungary was prepared to actively participate in the dialogue on adjusting Article 5 of the Washington Treaty to respond to new types of threats. At the conclusion of their meeting the Prime Minister invited the Secretary General to Hungary.
On Saturday morning, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán received President of Poland Andrzej Duda in Parliament.
In answer to questions from foreign journalists in Brussels on Friday, the second day of the summit of the European Union’s heads of state and government, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that Hungary does not like double standards, and therefore does not support them being applied to anyone, including Poland.
At a press conference in Brussels on Friday afternoon, in which he evaluated the agreement between the European Union and Turkey, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that Hungarian diplomacy has achieved its goals.