Hungary - Minister for Foreign Affairs Addresses General Debate, 72nd Session

Péter Szijjártó, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Hungary, addresses the general debate of the 72nd Session of the General Assembly of the UN (New York, 19 - 25 September 2017).

• Categories: Meetings & Events / General Assembly
• Video Length: 00:16:50
• Production Date: 22 September 2017
• Asset Language: Arabic; Chinese; English; French; Russian; Spanish
• Subject Topical: GENERAL DEBATE
• Geographic Subject: HUNGARY
• MAMS Id: 1977167
• Parent Id: 1976473
• Alternate Title: 72_HU

Description

The migration crisis and associated threat of terrorism are the greatest threats ever faced by the European Union, Péter Szijjártó, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Hungary, told the United Nations today, denouncing those that encourage ‘waves’ of migrants, which were only putting thousands of people in danger.

“Western Europe used to be the most secure and safest region globally,” he said in his address to the General Assembly’s annual general debate. Indeed, only a few years ago, events in the Middle East would not have happened in Europe.

But the current fear of terrorist attacks was now a part of daily life – as beaches, concert halls and shopping malls have become “venues of execution” – a direct consequence of the massive influx of illegal migrants over the last two and half years.

Some 1.5 million illegal migrants had entered the European Union without any control, Mr. Szijjártó continued, which had given terrorist organizations the chance to send their fighters to the European continent. “We have to admit that social integration procedures in Western Europe failed. Some integration processes of former migrants have been unsuccessful, and in many places, parallel societies have been constructed.”

“It is shocking that after the barbaric terrorist attacks in Europe and massive violations of national and international law, and after thousands have lost their lives on the Mediterranean Sea and elsewhere,” there are still leaders of international organizations and representatives of large countries who emphasized that migration was favourable and to be encouraged.

That was “extremely unacceptable and irresponsible behaviour,” he said. Encouraging migratory waves, knowing that terrorist organizations will take advantage’ had only placed thousands of people into danger. All States had a fundamental right to guarantee security for their people and to protect their borders.

He went on to recall that Hungary was a Christian country that was obliged to help people in need. The rights of people must be restored where they had been violated, he said, and people must be helped to return home as soon as possible. The solution to the migration crisis was in tackling the causes of conflict and stopping terrorist organizations.

• Scripts: File; hu_en.pdf (102.15 KB)