U.S. Special Envoy to oversee closing Guantanamo Detention Facility held talks in the Foreign Ministry

Senior State Secretary Vilmos Szabó and State Secretary László Várkonyi met Daniel Fried, U.S. Special Envoy to oversee closing Guantanamo Detention Facility in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on June 18, 2009.

Mr. Fried informed his Hungarian counterparts about the official request of the U.S. administration addressed to the Hungarian government to examine the possibility of accepting Guantanamo detainees, and he provided information on this subject.

State Secretary László Várkonyi underlined: the Hungarian government considers the closure of the Detention Facility as a decision that enhances the system of international law and human rights and reinforces the credibility of the whole transatlantic community. Confirming the Hungarian position, he also said that the government was ready to examine carefully all requests and options in order to find appropriate solutions to this important humanitarian issue. The State Secretary also pointed out: in Hungary parliamentary consultations will be necessary before taking a final decision. Hungarian authorities continue to coordinate issues related to the closure of the Guantanamo Detention Facility with their American counterparts.

(June 18, 2009)