FOREIGN
RELATIONS
Except
for the short-lived neutrality declared by Imre Nagy in November
1956, Hungary's foreign policy generally followed the Soviet lead
from 1947 to 1989. During the communist period, Hungary maintained
treaties of friendship, cooperation, and mutual assistance with
the Soviet Union, Poland, Czechoslovakia, the German Democratic
Republic, Romania, and Bulgaria. It was one of the founding members
of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact and Comecon, and it was the first
central European country to withdraw from those organizations,
now defunct.
As with any country, Hungarian security attitudes are shaped largely by history and geography. For Hungary, this is a history of more than 400 years of domination by great powers--the Ottomans, the Habsburgs, the Germans during World War II, and the Soviets during the Cold War--and a geography of regional instability and separation from Hungarian minorities living in neighboring countries. Hungary's foreign policy priorities, largely consistent since 1990, represent a direct response to these factors. Since 1990, Hungary's top foreign policy goal has been achieving integration into Western economic and security organizations. To this end, Hungary joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in May of 2004. Hungary also has improved its often-chilled neighborly relations by signing basic treaties with Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine. These renounce all outstanding territorial claims and lay the foundation for constructive relations. However, the issue of ethnic Hungarian minority rights in Slovakia and Romania periodically causes bilateral tensions to flare. Hungary was a signatory to the Helsinki Final Act in 1975, has signed all of the CSCE/OSCE follow-on documents since 1989, and served as the OSCE's Chairman-in-Office in 1997. Hungary's record of implementing CSCE Helsinki Final Act provisions, including those on reunification of divided families, remains among the best in eastern Europe. Hungary has been a member of the United Nations since December 1955.
U.S.-HUNGARIAN RELATIONS
Relations between the United States and Hungary following World
War II were affected by the Soviet armed forces' occupation of
Hungary. Full diplomatic relations were established at the legation
level on October 12, 1945, before the signing of the Hungarian
peace treaty on February 10, 1947. After the communist takeover
in 1947-48, relations with Hungary became increasingly strained
by the nationalization of U.S.-owned property, unacceptable treatment
of U.S. citizens and personnel, and restrictions on the operations
of the American legation. Though relations deteriorated further
after the suppression of the Hungarian national uprising in 1956,
an exchange of ambassadors in 1966 inaugurated an era of improving
relations. In 1972, a consular convention was concluded to provide
consular protection to U.S. citizens in Hungary.
In 1973,
a bilateral agreement was reached under which Hungary settled
the nationalization claims of American citizens. In January 1978,
the United States returned to the people of Hungary the historic
Crown of Saint Stephen, which had been safeguarded by the United
States since the end of World War II. Symbolically and actually,
this event marked the beginning of excellent relations between
the two countries. A 1978 bilateral trade agreement included extension
of most-favored-nation status to Hungary. Cultural and scientific
exchanges were expanded. As Hungary began to pull away from the
Soviet orbit, the United States offered assistance and expertise
to help establish a constitution, a democratic political system,
and a plan for a free market economy.
Between 1989 and 1993, the Support for East European Democracy (SEED) Act provided more than $136 million for economic restructuring and private sector development. The Hungarian-American Enterprise Fund has offered loans, equity capital, and technical assistance to promote private-sector development. The U.S. Government has provided expert and financial assistance for the development of modern and Western institutions in many policy areas, including national security, law enforcement, free media, environmental regulations, education, and health care. American direct investment has had a direct, positive impact on the Hungarian economy and on continued good bilateral relations. When Hungary acceded to NATO in April 1999, it became a formal ally of the United States. This move has been consistently supported by the 1.5 million-strong Hungarian-American community. The U.S. government supported Hungarian European Union accession in 2004, and continues to work with Hungary as a valued partner in the Transatlantic relationship.
NATIONAL SECURITY
Hungary's key national security focus since joining NATO in 1999 has been contributing to the stability of the region while integrating its armed forces into NATO's force structure. As a "NATO island" in an area of instability, Hungary takes a keen interest in NATO expansion and in the transatlantic link. It shares a more acute sense of the threat than many other European countries and is watching the transition in the Balkans, Ukraine, and Russia with great interest. Hungarians believe that Hungary's own security and that of its ethnic minorities in neighboring countries will be best served by a peaceful, unified region, which will be achieved when EU and NATO membership is extended to the entire region.
Hungary has been slowly modernizing and downsizing its armed forces since it left the Warsaw Pact in 1990. The transition from a heavy, slow-moving Warsaw Pact force to a lighter, versatile NATO force has been a long road, and U.S. advisers have been involved in the process throughout. The force has gone from 130,000 in 1989 to approximately 24,000 combat and combat support forces in 2008 while dozens of bases have been closed. New training, logistics, and leadership systems and a new Joint Forces Command structure have been implemented, while considerable practical experience working with NATO and other forces has been achieved by Hungarians serving in peacekeeping missions (about 1,000 at any given time). Hungary was especially helpful during the implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords in the Balkans from 1995-2004, when its airbase at Taszar was used by coalition forces transiting the region. Hungary currently leads a Provisional Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Afghanistan and has committed to providing an Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (OMLT) to the Dutch Sector in Uruzgan Province; provides Special Forces personnel, without caveat, to the U.S. forces; and provides security at the Kabul airport. The Hungarian military has approximately 20 personnel assigned to the Military Advisory and Liaison Team (MALT) mission in Iraq, and they will take over command of a joint battalion in the Balkans in 2008. Hungary’s Papa Airbase will be the home base of the Strategic Airlift Consortium’s C-17 operations, expanding its contribution to NATO and other European partners. Hungary’s military still faces numerous challenges to its modernization program, as reflected in the 2008 Hungarian defense budget, set at 1.17% of GDP, well below the NATO target of 2% and below the spending levels of other new members.
Principal U.S. Embassy Officials
Ambassador--April H. Foley
Deputy Chief of Mission--Jeffrey D. Levine
Political/Economic Counselor--Eric V. Gaudiosi
Commercial Officer--Patricia Gonzalez
Public Affairs Officer--Michael J. Hurley
Environment/Science/Technology Attaché--Samuel Kotis
Management Counselor--Thomas M. Young
Consul--Thomas M. Ramsey
Defense Attaché--Col. Kevin McGrath
USAID Director--Ray Kirkland
The U.S. Embassy in Hungary is located at Szabadsag Ter 12, Budapest 1054 (tel. (36) 1-475-4400).
