Past Events 2007
Congressman Tom Lantos Addresses Important Bilateral, Regional and International Issues at a Press Conference
On August 16, 2007, Congressman Tom Lantos, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, held a press conference in Budapest discussing U.S.-Hungary and U.S.-EU relations, as well as energy dependence and recent changes in the law that affect visas.
Congressman Lantos said there was no doubt that the civilized world would win the war against terrorism, and added that the battle cannot be waged by the U.S. alone. He noted that with the new set of European leaders he expected a much more balanced relationship between the United States and Europe than before. Congressman Lantos also stated that he hoped Hungary would be able to transition to alternative energy sources and could in the long run change its one-sided dependence on Russia.
When asked when Hungarians would be able to travel visa free to the United States, Congressman Lantos noted that he understands the dissatisfaction over the visa issue in Hungary. He said, however, that it should be understood that the concept of security has changed in the United States since September 2001.