HUNGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFENSIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUDAPEST 000336

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CE JAMIE LAMORE, PLEASE PASS TO NSC JEFF
HOVENIER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/03/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV EU NATO HU
SUBJECT: HUNGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFENSIVE

Classified By: Acting P/E counsleor Jon Martinson, reasons 1.4 (b,d)


1. (SBU) Summary. In his intital meeting with the Charge,
the new Hungarian Foreign Minister, Peter Balazs, highlighted
Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai's first official international
visits to the EU, NATO and Austria on April 27 as part of a
"great offensive" in foreign affairs. Balazs also said he
would meet soon with the Russian Foreign Minister, and placed
special emphasis on improving relations with Hungary's
neighbors to "clear the past and look forward." Although
facing a cut in foreign development funds, Balazs underscored
Hungary's continuing commitment in Afghanistan. Touching on
the Guantanamo detainee, tax treaty, and tolerance issues,
the Foreign Minister expressed confidence in his senior
leadership team and underscored his desire to meet with the
Secretary as soon as possible to present the Bajnai
government's program. End summary.


2. (C) Charge Levine met with Foreign Minister Peter Balazs
on April 30 on the heels of the Prime Minister's visit to the
EU, NATO and Austria. Balazs - Hungary's first EU
Commissioner and former Ambassador to Germany - commented
that the Prime Minister's official visits abroad were
specifically selected to underscore the "great
offensive...and absolute priorities" of the Bajnai
government. That said, the FM also noted that he intends to
meet with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov "as soon as
possible," while giving "special attention" to Hungary's
bi-lateral relationship with its seven neighbors. Commenting
that Hungary has a long history with each of the seven,
Balazs said he wants to start anew, putting aside those
issues that attract considerable media attention but are not
necessarily sensitive, stating that he has already met with
his counterparts from Slovakia, Austria and Romania. Noting
that, although "the EU has no mechanism towards historical
reconcilliation to close the past, shake hands and start
anew," most of Hungary's neighbors are in the "same clubs,"
and the FM senses a "shared receptivenss to clear the past
and start a new page" in these relationships.


3. (C) On Afghanistan, Balazs confirmed Hungary's continuing
commitment, although noting that the inter-ministerial
committee overseeing Hungarian foreign assistance development
funds reduced this year's amount by five percent. (Note.
This decision reduces the programmed development fund by
approximately USD 150,000. End note.) Balazs said the
reduction will hardly be felt in Afghanistan, and the MFA is
still in discussions with Greece and Japan, as well as the
EU, concerning supplemental funding from those sources to
improve and enlarge Hungarian presence on the ground. He
supported the shift in focus from military to civilian
activities as part of the Administration's new AFPAK strategy.


4. (C) Expressing confidence in his reshuffled senior
leadership team, Balazs said that newly appointed Senior
State Secretary, Socialist MP Vilmos Szabo, will be a
"valuable contributor," with his excellent relations, both in
Parliament, and with neighboring countries on minority
issues. The FM noted that former Senior State Secretary,
Marta Fekszi, will remain in the MFA as Cabinet Chief to
provide consistency with a number of issues, to include the
final meeting on the tax treaty schedule for the week of May
25, as well as the Embassy's property exchange program. In
response to the Charge's comments related to Washington's
interest in events related to intolerance in Hungary,
including attacks on Roma, Balazs commented that "the Justice
Ministry has a perfect profile of those who have killed the
Roma...and the circle is closing in." Thanking the Charge
for the offer of FBI assistance, the FM said he would pass
this offer directly to the Justice Minister. However, noting
intolerance towards Roma and the recent Magyar Garda
demonstration, during which the group publicly denied the
Holocaust, Balazs expressed concern that Hungary doesn't
"underestimate the threat." (Note. Hungarian media reports
May 4 stated that an FBI team will be arriving in the next
few days to provide "perpatrator profiling" assistance.
Embassy LEGATT is working to confirm this information. End
note.)


5. (C) Comment. Although acknowledging that he has had
minimal professional contact with the U.S., Balazs appeared
professorial in demeanor, knowledgeable of the issues raised
by the Charge, and very comfortable in his role as Foreign
Minister. Drawing upon his observation while Ambassador that
Germany "tailor-made" relationships with each of its
neighbors, Balazs appears intent on establishing an important
new approach to Hungary's relationships with its neighbors.
The question is if he will have sufficient time to make a
real difference given that the Bajnai government's one-year
mandate faces serious challenges in public support as the
austerity program details become clearer. Internally, Vilmos
Szabo, as the MFA's Deputy Foreign Minister, brings his
2002-2006 experience as a State Secretary in the Prime
Minister's for Hungarians beyond-the-borders, and a stronger
Parliamentary connection, to "sell" Balazs's efforts both in
Parliament and with Hungary's neighbors. We anticipate that
Marta Fekszi, mentioned earlier as a possible UN Ambassador,
will continue to play a key role in several U.S./Hungary
bilateral issues, to include a decision on acceptance of
Guantanamo detainees as well as the Tancsics property
transfer. The Foreign Minister reiterated his interest in
meeting soon with the Secretary, and his staff asked that, as
soon as possible, the Department further refine the proposed
dates provided previously by Post to facilitate planning the
Foreign Minister's other travels.
Levine