| Hungary continues to regard multilateral diplomacy as a fundemental tool, which requires strong, modern and well-functioning international organisations, Kinga Göncz said at the opening of the 63rd session of the United Nation’s General Assembly in New York. The assembly focused on reforms in the UN, which, Ms. Göncz noted, have already produced such results as the formation of the Human Rights Council and the Peacebuilding Commission. Further tasks include changes to the UN’s direction, reviving the Assembly’s activities and modernising the organisation’s environmental protection system, she said. Ms Göncz added that another important goal was to ensure that the makeup of the Security Council reflects changes in international politics and the global economy. The assembly aims to prioritise tasks related to climate change and the fight against terrorism. Among international security issues, the future of UN missions in Kosovo and Georgia are likely to receive greater attention. Hungary currently has 113 troops stationed with UN peacekeeping and crisis management missions in four countries/regions: Cyprus, Georgia, Western-Sahara and Lebanon. Ms. Göncz attended the meeting of foreign ministers from the European Union and Russia on Tuesday. The agenda included the following important topics: the Middle East, Iran and Georgia. Ms. Göncz said that dialogue and partnership must be maintained with Russia in the interest of looking after common goals of the world community. However, a clear set of principles should be defined, preferrably in the context of broadly-regulated relations. On the previous evening, the minister held talks with her Georgian counterpart Eka Tkeshelashvili. Ms Göncz said the EU’s prompt and decisive reaction to Russia’s military operations had conveyed a message of warning that the Union pays attention to what happens near its borders. One lesson to be learnt is that eastern neighbourhood policy is at least as important as the southern dimension, and that a common energy policy must be drawn up as fast as possible. Kinga Göncz held other bilateral meetings, too. With her Ukrainian counterpart Volodimir Ogrizko, she reviewed the new situation in Ukraine’s education system. Mr. Ogrizko briefed Ms. Göncz in connection with internal politics in Ukraine, and asked her to support a proposal for the UN to commemorate worldwide in December the 75th anniversary of the great Ukraine famine. At talks with the head of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s diplomacy, the Hungarian minister noted that the two countries are in agreement on many important international issues. She mentioned Hungarian President László Sólyom’s pending visit to Amman in October, as well as a Hungarian cultural festival planned in the Jordanian capital. At the same time, Ms. Göncz asked for Jordanian support for Hungary’s bid for several UN posts, including its non-permanent membership bid from 2012 to 2014 in the Security Council. Kinga Göncz met the head of Nigerian diplomacy, and said that Hungary plans to expand its economic relations with the African country, which is already one of its main partners in the sub-Saharan region. She noted President László Sólyom’s planned visit to Abuja. The minister also participated in an event on multinational peacekeeping forces stationed in Iraq, as well as the future of armed forces training there. The U.S. and Iraqi presidents addressed the event. Ms. Göncz met Donald Blinken, former U.S. ambassador to Hungary and his Hungarian-born wife, as well as financier György Soros. (September 23, 2008) |