Foreign Minister Kovács
met with Secretary of State Colin Powell today. In a press conference
in front of the State Department following their meeting, Secretary
Powell called Hungary a close and reliable ally of the United States
and thanked Mr. Kovács for Hungary's support in the war against
terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan. "Our talks were easy - we
celebrated our friendship," said Secretary Powell noting that
just this week, the new U.S. ambassador to Hungary had been sworn in.
Minister Kovács, in his turn, confirmed Hungary's
commitment to close bilateral relations with the United States.
"We have proven our commitment and loyalty," he said. Mr.
Kovács added that as a member of the European Union, Hungary will
make sure that NATO and the EU cooperate closely and not become
rivals. Mr. Kovács said he also encouraged Secretary Powell to
involve Hungarian companies in the reconstruction of Iraq.
The
day before his meeting with Secretary Powell, Mr. Kovács presented
Amb. Philip Kaiser, former U.S. ambassador to Hungary, with the Order
of Merit of the Republic of Hungary for his role in the Hungarian Holy
Crown's eventual return to Hungary in 1978.
Click
here to read a complete transcript of the press availability
