Prompted by the experience of a crisis of values and conflicts of interests in the transatlantic region, the Hungarian Atlantic Council is working to support the preservation and strengthening of the idea of Atlanticism in Hungarian society and also beyond our borders. The presidency of the organization gave an interview to the press in relation with its upcoming May 7 international conference.
For Central Europe, there is no alternative to transatlantic cooperation – professes the Council. According to its members, the great challenges of our age can only be tackled if we join forces: maintenance of the international order, prevention of local armed conflicts from escalation, curbing illegal migration, economic cooperation and efficient environmental protection.
In the interest of the above, the Hungarian Atlantic Council intends to achieve its goals in 2024 through large-scale programs. Besides launching several professional projects, it is going to organize a daylong international conference with high-level Hungarian and foreign participants at the seat of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA) in Budapest on 7 May. The participants will collectively examine and discuss the issues relating to the crisis of values and the conflicts of interests, the chances of generating an independent European defence capability within the North Atlantic Alliance and the lessons learned from Hungary’s 25 years in NATO since its accession.
György Csóti, President, Hungarian Atlantic Council emphasized that their goal is to shape the perspective of Hungarian society. “There is a crisis of values and a conflict of interests in the transatlantic region, which intensified in 2014 with the annexation of the Crimea. On seeing this, early last year we decided to renew the organization that was established at the time of Hungary’s accession to NATO, so that we can transfer the one-time transatlantic idea into the present and the future. The challenges we are facing can only be tackled through collective efforts and communication” – he told the press.
HAC Vice-President Tibor Benkő PhD called attention to the priority of security. “Our obligation is to create and preserve peace for Hungarian people. Europe has not always taken this task seriously. In the absence of enemies, the issue of armed defence faded into the background for decades. Now, when a war is raging in our neighborhood and the world is burdened by further conflicts as well, it is time we solved the problems. Peace and security call for dialogue” – he said.
The exchange of professional ideas is to continue at the seat of the MTA on 7 May, and the organizers hope that their international conference will help reaching agreement on several important issues.
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