13 Nov. 2006

Riga Summit in focus during Hungary visit News 10/11/06 - NATO Secretary General to visit Hungary Multimedia High resolution photos from the visit NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer visited Budapest on 13 November, as part of the continuing political preparations for upcoming NATO Summit in Riga, Latvia. The Secretary General met with Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány and Defence Minister Imre Szekeres. They discussed the key issues on the Summit agenda, including NATO’s operations, transformation and partnerships. Call for more defence spending Mr. De Hoop thanked Hungary for its contribution to NATO’s Afghanistan operation, which includes leading the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Pol-e Khomri, northern Afghanistan. The Secretary General stressed the need to ensure that Hungary’s level of defence spending moves closer to the NATO-agreed target of 2% of GDP. Defence Minister Szekeres told the Secretary General that Hungary will fulfill its military commitments to NATO. The meeting with the Defence Minister was preceded by a military honour guard to welcome the Secretary General.