From Viktor Orban, NATO:  Hungary always considered NATO as a kind of embodiness of transatlantic cooperation and transatlantic cooperation in our understanding is a cornerstone of our security. All Europe, but especially in Central Europe, so we remain as committed as we were for membership in NATO.

At the same time we understand that NATO sometimes are involved into difficult missions, as the Afghanistan mission is. If NATO deserves our attention and our respect, sometimes must provide evidence that it’s one of the most effective institutions of the world. Therefore, Afghanistan must be concluded in a successful way, so Hungary remains committed to the Afghanistan mission and we hope that whatever complications we have already over there finally we will find a way how to give the authority to the civilian forces and a future democratic Afghanistan government. …

[W]e are very happy that the Article 5 will be more detailed in the future than it is now and we would like to cooperate to find the proper wording of this strategy in the forthcoming several months. And we are full of expectations, thinking on the forthcoming NATO Summit of the second part of this year, and we will be in full strength, present at that Summit of NATO.

So thank you very much, again. On behalf of the Hungarian people I would like to express how grateful we are that NATO is part of our security, because regardless what kind of difficulties we have in health care, education and financing the countries, security remains in our mind, especially in Central Europe, as the number one issue of the life.

Excerpts from remarks by Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán at press conference with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.  (photo: NATO)

Image: nato%206%204%2010%20Viktor%20Orban%20Anders%20Rasmussen.jpg