
Hungary's role could expand in wake of US rejoining Geneva Consensus Declaration
Valerie Huber said the international coalition would not have survived without Hungary, because following Brazil's withdrawal from it, it was Hungary that offered to host their office in Budapest.
Valerie Huber, one of the initiators of the international agreement on women and family policy, said Hungary's role could expand in the wake of the United States rejoining the Geneva Consensus Declaration in line with a decision by US President Donald Trump.
Huber who is CEO-president of the Washington-based Institute for Women's Health told MTI on Wednesday that the international coalition would not have survived without Hungary, because following Brazil's withdrawal from it, it was Hungary that offered to host their office in Budapest.
She added that Trump's decision about the US rejoining the declaration only four days after taking office was also a sign that US foreign policy under the new administration would be very different from that in the past four years. She noted that Joe Biden had decided as the previous president that the US would leave the family policy declaration.
Szabolcs Takacs, Hungary's ambassador to the US, told MTI that Hungary had been consistent in remaining party to the declaration also in the past four years. Trump, his advisors and colleagues were aware of Budapest's dedication to the principles supported by the declaration and appreciated this.
'This could be another significant element of Hungary-US relations, and it is highly symbolic in social policy cooperation, demonstrating that both sides think along the same lines about the future of a healthy society,' he said.
The Geneva Consensus Declaration was signed by five countries including Hungary on a US initiative in the autumn of 2020.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Budapest Times
3 days ago
- Budapest Times
State Secretary marks anniversary of post-WWI Trianon Peace Treaty
During a commemoration marking the anniversary of the post-WWI Trianon Peace Treaty, held at the Hungarian embassy in Washington on Tuesday, Boglárka Illés, state secretary at the foreign ministry, said it is not enough to remember the losses; one should also see the strength of the Hungarian nation. Illés said 'at least three generations have grown up ' since 1920, when the treaty concluded the world war, and 'the strength of the Hungarian nation is manifested by the fact that despite all attempts by the great powers it has survived and demonstrates unity.' The official noted that the US has the largest community of the Hungarian diaspora, adding that 'Hungarian communities not only exist but they have created a Hungarian world of their own, too.' Concerning her talks with US State Department officials, Illés told MTI that 'a position supporting peace links Hungary and the US. 'We appreciate endeavours by the US president and US administration to promote peace,' she said. During her talks, she said she had informed her partners about the Hungarian government's child protection measures, family policy, and border control regime. The state secretary also met Republican congressmen and visited the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation. She also met Stephen Schneider, international director of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and noted the Hungarian government's policy of zero tolerance for anti-Semitism and support for Israel's right to self-defense.


Budapest Times
3 days ago
- Budapest Times
Foreign Minister holds talks with US Deputy Secretary of State
Minister Szijjártó said he thanked Christopher Landau for the Trump administration's peace efforts. Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said he had conducted the 'best talk with a Western politician over the past decade' with US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau. In a Facebook post added on Tuesday, Minister Szijjártó said that during the 'fantastic talks', he thanked Landau for the Trump administration's peace efforts. 'I thanked him for not giving up on the peace effort despite the fact that Western politicians keep hindering it, and I was happy to hear that the US government continued to be committed to peace,' he said, according to a ministry statement. 'We agreed that we have to keep channels of communication open. We agreed on the importance of continuing the US-Russia talks. We agreed that we must fight to protect classic, patriotic, conservative values,' he said. They agreed on the importance of protecting the borders and 'we expressed our joy together over the worldwide strengthening of patriotic parties,' Minister Szijjártó said. Minister Szijjártó added that he and Landau had also pledged to further strengthen US-Hungarian economic and trade ties, and to extend cooperation to the field of nuclear industry.


Budapest Times
4 days ago
- Budapest Times
FM: Hungary-Poland relations can now return to their previous course
Minister Szijjártó said the victory of Karol Nawrocki had been a welcome development. Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said a 'great patriotic victory' at the presidential election in Poland will give a new opportunity for the restoration of Hungary-Poland interstate relations that had been 'intentionally damaged' by the government in Warsaw. In response to a question at a joint press conference with his Bulgarian counterpart, Minister Szijjártó stated that the victory of Karol Nawrocki had been a welcome development, offering an opportunity for Hungary-Poland relations to return to their previously regular course. 'The victory of the patriotic candidate will also help fill Visegrad cooperation with new life. The Polish and Czech governments have clearly tried to destroy Visegrad cooperation rather than develop it,' he added. 'But the outcome of the presidential election in Poland gives us new hope to revive Visegrad cooperation which I am convinced benefits all the countries involved, and if (ANO) president Babis manages to win in the Czech Republic in … the autumn, then I believe the Visegrad cooperation can once again become one of the closest and best working internal alliances in the European Union,' he said. 'We congratulate the patriotic candidate who won the election in Poland,' he added. Commenting on the flooding of the salt mine of Praid (Parajd) in central Romania, he said continuous consultations were under way with the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania and its leader Hunor Kelemen, and 'money, technology, equipment, everything is available, so whatever they are asking for, we will send it in order to reduce the effects of this tragedy.'