Live Interview with Ambassador András Simonyi on CNN

January 30, 2003

 

Judy Woodruff: The Prime Minister of Hungary was one of eight European leaders who issued a joint statement today backing U.S. policies toward Iraq.

With me now from New York is Hungary’s Ambassador to the U.S., András Simonyi.

Mr. Ambassador, your country and seven other countries signed this letter and yet a number of other countries were left out. Does this really demonstrate European unity?

András Simonyi: I certainly believe, Judy, that this letter is meant to forge European unity. The message is that Europeans, some old democracies, some newer democracies, like Spain and Portugal, and the newest democracies, Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary, certainly care about working closely together with the United States, and the Transatlantic relationship matters.

JW: But two countries that of course would be important not only if there were a military action in Iraq, but in the aftermath, keeping the peace in a postwar Iraq, Germany and France, were not part of this.

AS: Well, they were not part of it. This is pretty much a random choice of countries – countries that have a pretty clear view about the situation. But I want to make sure that Hungary is really not interested in seeing a rift in Europe. I want to make sure you know that Hungary is working very closely with other allies in order to push for unity on this issue between the United States and Europe.

JW: Does your government believe that the inspectors should be given more time in Iraq to look for weapons of mass destruction? And if so, how much more time?

AS: The statement that the leaders of our countries signed is a statement about wanting to give peace a little more chance. We want to make sure that a peaceful solution is totally exploited but I’m afraid we are running out of peaceful solutions. We certainly have always said that we wanted this resolved through the UN. We want to make sure that the UN gets all the possibilities but, as I said, I’m afraid we are running out of time and, you know, any military action is very difficult and is very risky. But inaction would be far more dangerous.

JW: But essentially what you are saying is that the UN may not be in charge here. That if too much time is given, these countries, the United States, will go it alone.

AS: We would not like to see the US go it alone and I do not think the US will go alone. I’d like to see all the possibilities at the UN be fully exploited. But, as I’m saying, we are unfortunately running out of time.

JW: But you won’t put a timetable on that.

AS: I don’t want to put a timetable because we are all working hard, 24 hours a day, in order to give all the chance to the UN that is possible.

JW: András Simonyi, Ambassador to the United States, thank you very much.

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