ACTIVITIES OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL IN HUNGARY 28 JUNE - 1 JULY
The Secretary-General left Warsaw by plane for Budapest in the afternoon of Wednesday, 28 June.
He began his official visit to Hungary on Thursday, with a stop at United Nations House, where he first met with the representatives of the five United Nations agencies active in Hungary and then addressed the staff.
He then went to Hero's Square, where he laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Among those looking on were student members of a folk-dancing group from Slovakia. The Secretary-General chatted with them, then asked them to dance for him, which they did.
At the Foreign Ministry, he met for almost an hour with Hungarian Foreign Minister, Janos Martonyi. The Secretary-General congratulated the Hungarian leadership for smoothly managing the political and economic transition in Hungary during the last decade. He told journalists after the meeting that Hungary's experience could inspire other nations who are trying to make the same transition.
In the afternoon, he went to the Parliament building, where he first met with President Arpad Goncz. They discussed the pollution of the Danube River and efforts being made to clean it up. The 79-year-old President said he remembered as a child drinking from the Danube -- something he would not do today. The Secretary-General also briefed the President on his recent trip to the Middle East, and they discussed prospects for a comprehensive peace.
He then met with the Speaker of the Parliament, Janos Ader, who assured him that he would attend the Millennium Meeting of Parliamentarians in August in New York. Mr. Ader then described a revision of the Hungarian constitution adopted in the previous week that permits the Government to commit troops to United Nations peacekeeping missions after informing the Parliament, but no longer requires an act of Parliament to permit it. They also discussed some of the challenges of globalization.
In the late afternoon, he went to the offices of the United Nations Association of Hungary, where he addressed the members and took their questions.
On Thursday evening, he was guest of honour at a dinner hosted by President Goncz.
The Secretary-General began the final day of his official visit to Hungary on Friday with a visit to Wallenberg Park, established as a tribute to Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat who saved thousands of Hungarian Jews from Nazi persecution during the Second World War.
Raoul highlighted the vital role of the bystander, the Secretary-General commented, of the third party amidst conflict and suffering. It was here in the face of despair that his intervention gave hope to victims, and encouraged them to fight and resist, hang on and bear witness (See SG/SM/7475).
Nane Annan, Wallenbergs niece, described her uncle as an anti- hero, a man who did what he could to save innocent lives.
The Secretary-General then returned to the Parliament building to meet with members of Parliaments Foreign Relations Committee. He wished Hungary well in its bid for membership in the European Union, but urged the lawmakers to also remember those further behind. It would be sad, he said, if European Unity would lead to a new division in Europe, between a prosperous west and central region and a war-torn and impoverished east and south-east.
At midday he met with the Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban. After their meeting they told the press that they had discussed how Hungary perceived the issues raised in the Millennium Report, environmental issues and issues related to the central European region.
The Secretary-General and the Prime Minister then continued their discussion over lunch.
In the afternoon, the Secretary-General went to the Club of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, where he met with Ferenc Madl, Hungarys President elect, who will begin his five-year term on 4 August 2000.
Returning to the Government Guest House where he was staying, the Secretary-General met with representatives of Hungarys Roma Community, who were accompanied by the Minister of Justice, Ibolya David.
He then gave a press conference.
On Friday evening, he concluded his official visit with a dinner hosted by the Foreign Minister, Janos Martonyi.
The Secretary-General departed to Hannover, Germany, on Saturday, 1 July.