HUNGARY'S POSITION ON OSLO CLUSTER MUNITIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUDAPEST 000098

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

EUR/NCE MICHELLE LABONTE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2022
TAGS: MOPS PARM PREL NATO
SUBJECT: HUNGARY'S POSITION ON OSLO CLUSTER MUNITIONS
CONFERENCE

REF: SECSTATE 6667

Classified By: POL/C Eric V. Gaudiosi. Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) GOH officials say that Hungary will accept the
Government of Norway's (GON) invitation to attend the
February 22-23 Oslo conference per reftel. MFA Director of
Arms Control and Non-Proliferation Policy Andras Toth told
POL off on 22 January that the GOH will attend the conference
"in order to observe" the deliberations. Toth added that
Hungary "agrees in principle" with limiting the use of
cluster munitions but does not agree with discussing the
issue outside of the Convention on Certain Conventional
Weapons (CCW) framework. Toth speculated that he would
represent the GOH at the Oslo conference, but said "the
decision (on who would attend) is not yet final."


2. (C) Also on 22 January, MOD State Secretary for Security
Policy Jozsef Bali told DATT that the GOH received the GON
invitation and that Hungary at this point has "no specific
position." He added that the GOH position would be finalized
at an interagency working group meeting this week. According
to Bali, Hungary "clearly understands" the U.S. position on
this issue and agrees that it should be negotiated "within
the CCW framework." Mr. Bali did not say who, if anyone,
would attend the Oslo conference from the MOD.
FOLEY