Preface by Ambassador Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis for the October 2011 Issue of Foreign Policy Review

It has been close to two years since I arrived in Hungary and presented my credentials to President László Sólyom.  New to Hungary, my expectations were shaped by information collected from a number of different sources.  My husband, Markos Kounalakis, is a journalist who covered the 1989-1990 change of regime in Hungary and the transitions in the region.  Recalling his time in Budapest, he was eager to return.  We also quickly made new friends - Hungarians, Americans and Hungarian-Americans alike - who were all eager to share their knowledge and opinions (and a list of “required reading”!) with me.   Last but not least, the State Department also went to work, as it does with all ambassadors-to-be.  In the process, I discovered and came to appreciate a relationship between two nations, encompassing almost all areas of life and society:  from defense and law enforcement cooperation to academic exchange programs and from business ties to civil society initiatives.
 
The editors of Foreign Policy Review have now asked me to reflect on U.S.-Hungarian relations as I see them today.  Although the past two years have certainly enriched my knowledge and appreciation of all things Hungarian, what has not changed is my conviction that Hungary is a multi-faceted and complex nation, full of potential and talent – and a true friend to the United States.   

Let me start by reflecting on that last element:  a friendship that is, actually, mutual and based on shared values.  The fundamental basis of U.S. foreign policy is our values. As I write these words, I am sitting in my office, the very room that was home to Cardinal József Mindszenty for fifteen years between 1956 and 1971.  Recently, a group of young Hungarian visitors, on seeing the Cardinal’s portrait hanging on my wall, commented on the significance of having a true Hungarian freedom fighter’s likeness decorating the office of the American ambassador.  For me, the story of Cardinal Mindszenty finding refuge in the U.S. Embassy is symbolic not only of Hungarian history and the changes the country has experienced, but also of both our peoples’ passion for freedom.  Today, a plaque on the wall of the Chancery and the painting in my office pay tribute to this important figure of twentieth-century Hungarian history.  

Hungary and the United States celebrated their passion for freedom at the end of June during what we have come to call Transatlantic Week.  Two Congressional Delegations, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Attorney General Ed Meese, representatives of the family of the late Congressman Tom Lantos, emissaries of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation, several senior officials from the Department of State – and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton all came to Hungary to commemorate two champions of freedom, Ronald Reagan and Tom Lantos, and reinforce the partnership between Hungary and the United States.  Former Secretary Rice unveiled a larger-than-life statue of President Ronald Reagan in beautiful Szabadság tér; Annette Lantos and Secretary Clinton spoke in Parliament at the opening of the Tom Lantos Institute; and the Government of Hungary hosted several grand events in honor of our transatlantic visitors.  This was all taking place as Hungary wrapped up its first, historic presidency of the Council of the European Union.  Budapest was certainly the focus of attention both in Washington as well as in all European Union member state capitals.  What Transatlantic Week made abundantly clear is that Central Europe, and Hungary specifically, does matter and is truly “on the radar screen” in the United States.  At the same time, it is important to understand that with the region’s successful transition to democracy and integration in western alliances, the question the United States is asking is no longer “what can we do for the nations of Central Europe?”   It is “what can we, together with the European Union and the nations of Central Europe, do for the rest of the world?”

In that spirit, one of the most important areas of cooperation between Hungary and the United States is related to international security.  Today, Hungary and the United States are NATO allies with a security relationship that goes back twenty years.  I have had the privilege to observe, together with Minister of Defense Csaba Hende, Hungarian troops in action in Kosovo, Sarajevo and Afghanistan.  I have met many of the fine Hungarian men and women who serve in Afghanistan, alongside their American brothers- and sisters-in-arms.  Hungary is providing invaluable assistance there, out of a shared sense of duty, shared values and a common assessment of the threats we face.  And during these past 20 years, the United States has invested over 50 million dollars in education, training and equipment for the Hungarian Defense Forces (HDF).  We have sent hundreds of officers and NCOs to training in the United States and U.S. facilities in Europe.  HDF and American forces have participated in countless exercises and operational deployments together.

Also in the realm of international security, Hungary has worked very closely with the United States – and, again, other friends in the European Union – on issues related to the political changes we are continuing to witness in North Africa, and particularly in Libya.  For several months this year, Hungary served as the protecting power of the United States in Libya, with the Embassy of Hungary in Tripoli and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Budapest providing invaluable assistance.  This was yet another example of how a country of ten million people can do great things, or “punch above its weight,” as we like to say.

It is, of course, to be expected that we – the Embassy and the United States – would work with the Government of Hungary on any number of issues.  On increasing regional energy security, resolving conflicts in the Western Balkans, strengthening regional law enforcement capacity, and a host of other areas, the United States and Hungary are productively cooperating.  

But to sustain close, productive relations between democracies, both countries must be strong and there must be mutual understanding between peoples.  Therefore, as important as our work with the government is our engagement with civil society and private individuals.  Numerous academic exchange programs have helped many Hungarians obtain a glimpse into American life and return to Hungary with new experiences and new knowledge.  It is my hope that these exchange programs will continue to flourish and that with their help, Americans and Hungarians will continue to be able to learn about each other’s societies and make a difference in their own.

Equal opportunities and providing a level playing field for all, regardless of race, gender or political standing, are vital elements of a vibrant democracy and a healthy economy.  As Secretary Clinton pointed out in her remarks in Parliament, the United States has been on its own democratic journey for somewhat longer than Hungary.  When she expressed concern regarding the many changes that the government is making with its historic two-thirds majority, it was as a friend and out of a desire that Hungary continue to be a shining example for others looking to begin their own democratic journey.

Sharing our best practices and our own knowledge collected during that journey is the best way for us to contribute to Hungary’s successes.  One area of special interest to me, perhaps stemming from my own family’s experiences in the United States, is entrepreneurship:  making it possible, easy and worthwhile for individuals to realize their goals in business.  To that end, it is vital that bureaucratic hurdles be reduced to a minimum, red tape be cut, and transparency and consistency be increased, so that individual initiatives may flourish.  In this, not only the U.S. government, but American businesses also are ready to  help.  American businesses are not only good employers, and provide quality goods and services.  They are also good citizens, contributing to their communities in countless ways.  They can help instill the “can-do” attitude Americans are so proud of, and which can easily be adopted and embraced by Hungarians.  

There is much to be proud of in the Hungarian-American relationship, and it is an exciting time to be representing the United States of America in Hungary.