(May 27, 2008)

Esteemed board of Honorary Consuls, dear guests,

I would like to greet all of you at this closing reception of the 4^th Conference of Honorary Consuls.

The network of honorary consuls encompasses 92 countries on five continents with 207 Hungarian honorary consuls, fitting organically into the ranks of the official diplomatic and consular representations of the Republic of Hungary. Besides protecting and representing the interests of citizens, they play a fundamental role in nurturing and developing our international relations.

The honorary consuls reflect better on Hungary than any other Hungarian institution, as well as mirroring the richness and multiplicity of Hungarians and Hungary’s friends in political, business, cultural, scientific life and art, at the same time as being the most effective link between official and civil diplomacy.

Over the past two days you have received briefings from members of the government, as well as institutional leaders and experts about the government’s activities, our foreign policy, about national policies and endeavours regarding Hungarians living outside of our borders, and many other expert policy issues. You were acquainted with the priorities of Hungarian foreign policy. Valuable proposals have been put forward on your part, which will make our joint efforts more fruitful.

When you return to your posts, may you continue to be devoted representatives of Hungarian and national interests! With your activities, express Hungary’s openness to the world, its skills and interests in co-operating with the countries, regions and peoples of the world.

I ask for your explicit support of our foreign policy tasks and the success of Pécs’s role as the Cultural Capital of Europe in 2010, as well as Hungary’s European Presidency in the first half of 2011.

I thank you for your active participation at the conference and wish you great success in your future work as well as personal fulfilment!