Hungary Maintains its Presence in Operation EUFOR ALTHEA in Bosnia

Among the EU-led operations, Hungary makes its largest contribution to ALTHEA with its contingent of 163 troops – which is 13 per cent of the total strength of the mission, Csaba Hende said. Hungarian officers fill several high positions in ALTHEA, and the Chief of Staff of the operation is also Hungarian. The Minister also pointed out that Hungary and Austria effectively cooperate in providing the troops stationed in the theatre and the reserve (over-the-horizon) forces within a scheme of rotation.

“We have long-term commitment to the mission", Csaba Hende said. The Minister of Defence also noted that there are Hungarians among the troops contributed by 15 nations participating in the EU-led military training mission (EUTM) that is being conducted in Uganda – in the area known as the Horn of Africa – with a view to strengthening the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia. One Hungarian staff officer is posted as advisor while another officer and two NCOs are doing their tour of duty as trainers.

The Minister of Defence told the press that NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen had also participated in the conference of EU Defence Ministers – although it had been organized within an EU framework – and that part of the discussions had focused on the preparations for the Chicago NATO Summit which will be held in May 2012. Accordingly, some strategic issues in European security policy were also on the agenda of the meeting. “The operation in Libya has shown us that European countries should take a leading role in managing crises that pose a direct threat to our security" – Csaba Hende noted in relation with this topic.

(Source: MTI)

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