 8/3/2011 - American Hungarian Federation Participates in CEEC Policy Forum on American Strategic Engagement in Central and Eastern Europe... On July 26, AHF participated in a policy forum on Capitol Hill that was hosted by the Central and East European Coalition (CEEC). The purpose of the forum, entitled "20 Years: Three Perspectives on the Evolution of U.S.
Strategic Engagementwith Central and Eastern Europe," was to discuss Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and American foreign policy toward that region.
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| U.S. Congressional Engagement with Central and Eastern Europe since 1991: the Balkan Wars and NATO Enlargement by Dr. Michael Haltzel [download] |
The forum brought together two panels consisting of leading authorities on issues of concern to theUnited States and CEE. AHF President, Frank Koszorus, served as moderator.
 Dr.Michael Haltzel of the Center forTransatlantic Relations at SAIS at Johns Hopkins University and Janusz Bugajski of the Center for Strategic and International Studies spoke at the event, articulating the U.S. government’s perspective and interests in the region.
Dr.
Haltzel, a member of then Senator Joseph Biden’s staff during the first round of NATO's enlargement following the collapse of Communism, recounted the process and transition of CEE states from Eastern bloc to NATO members [read more about Dr. Haltzel's Insights on the Balkan Wars and NATO enlargement].
 Mr. Bugajski focused on the enduring U.S. interest in the region for maintaining CEE state independence, the rule of law, regional stability, and aid for NATO missions.
 Ambassadors from the region were on hand toprovide a regional perspective. Petr Gandalovic of the Czech Republic, Temuri Yakobashvili of Georgia, andDr. György Szapáry of Hungary touched on their nations’ views on American engagement andNATO expansion eastward with decidedly positive views. Ambassador Szapáry also detailed the longstanding friendship between the United States and Hungary.
 Ambassador Yakobashvili remarked, “it is my dream to be at a similar event in the future talking about howGeorgia was accepted into NATO.” Additionally, Simonas Satunas, Deputy Chief of Mission atthe Lithuanian Embassy, provided brief remarks on the  situation in theBaltic states and concern about Russia’s increasing influence both in the region and in the European Union.
 The event was followed by a reception that featured a variety of regional desserts during which attendees could discuss the event and other issues relevant to the U.S. and its interests in the region.
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| AHF statement to the Congressional Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia - Statement of Frank Koszorus, Jr., National President, American Hungarian Federation, July 26, 2011 [read more] |
"This was a wonderful opportunity to hear views from both sides of the Atlantic regarding vital issues for both the United States and CEE," said Frank Koszorus, Jr., national president of the Federation who served as the MC at the event. "We greatly appreciate the distinguished panelists sharing their views and insights with us so that we can gain a more in-depth understanding of these issues," he added.
 The Federation submitted a statement to the Congressional Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia focusing three issues: (1) minority rights as the prerequisite to democracy in the multi-national states of Romania and Slovakia; (2) the intolerance of and discrimination against the Hungarian minorities living there; and (3) the need for balanced and informed judgments relating to Hungary. AHF also called on Slovakia to rehabilitate Janos Esterhazy. [read more] and download the statement.
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CEEC member organizations:
American Hungarian Federation
American Latvian Association
Armenian Assembly of America
Belarusan-American Association
Bulgarian Institute for Research and Analysis
Congress of Romanian Americans
Washington Chapter, Czechoslovak
National Council of America
Estonian American National Council
Georgian Association in the USA
Hungarian American Coalition
Joint Baltic American National Committee
Lithuanian American Council
Lithuanian American Community
National Federation of American Hungarians
Polish American Congress
Slovak League of America
Ukrainian Congress Committee of America
Ukrainian National Association
Related Articles
8/26/2011 - Insights on the Balkan Wars and NATO enlargement from Dr. Michael Haltzel, who from 1994 - 20005 was Democratic Staff Director of the Subcommittee on European Affairs of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and foreign policy aide to U.S. Vice President (then Senator) Joseph R. Biden. Dr. Haltzel spoke at a recent CEEC forum moderated by AHF President Frank Koszorus, Jr. [read more]
 8/5/2011 -- AHF submits statement to Congressional Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia. The statement focuses on three issues: (1) minority rights as the prerequisite to democracy in the multi-national states of Romania and Slovakia; (2) the intolerance of and discrimination against the Hungarian minorities living there; and (3) the need for balanced and informed judgments relating to Hungary. AHF also called on Slovakia to rehabilitate Janos Esterhazy. [read more]
8/3/2011 -- The American Hungarian Federation and the Central and East European Coalition participate in a reception and Capitol Hill Policy Seminar entitled, "20 years: Three Perspectives on the Evolution of U.S. Strategic Engagement with Central and Eastern Europe." The purpose of the forum was to discuss Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and American foreign policy toward that region. The forum brought together two panels consisting of leading authorities on issues of concern to the United States and CEE. Moderated by AHF President Frank Koszorus, Jr. [read more]
9/23/2010 - AHF helps plan Advocacy Day in US Congress, drafts human / minority rights Policy Brief... The Central and East European Coalition (CEEC) held its Fall Advocacy Day - an all-day event during which the members visited scores of Congressional offices, including the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC), to discuss key policy issues relating to Central and Eastern Europe. These issues included human and minority rights concerns relative to Hungarians in the region, U.S. assistance, Russia's influence, NATO and energy security, and visa matters. [read more]
 3/7/2011 - The 2011 Washington Hungarian Ball to raise funds for Hungarian nursery school in Bácskossuthfalva: Founded in 2005, this is the only such school officially recognized by Serbian authorities. Despite the official recognition, Serbia has refused to extend any financial support. The school is under serious financial distress and your support is greatly needed and appreciated. See the VIDEO INTERVIEW ( magyarul). [Read more] about the 2011 Hungarian Ball and support us!
 2/29/2008 - As Kosovo gains independence, AHF calls attention to the largest minority in the region: The Hungarians in the former Yugoslavia and within the Carpathian Basin. The recent independence of Kosovo and resulting violence deeply concerns the Federation who calls international attention to the Hungarians of Vojvodina, who lost autonomy by the Serbian totalitarian regime of Milosevic, and those elsewhere in Central Europe. In a Letter to the Editor published in the Washington Times, AHF's Geza Cseri writes: "What is also bothersome and surprising is that there is no overall analysis of minority rights in Central Europe, which is crucial to the peace of the region as well as the whole of Europe. No mention of the rights of one of Europe's largest minorities, the indigenous Hungarian minorities living in Romania, Slovakia and Ukraine. They number more than 4 million." [Read the entire Letter to the Editor]
 6/13/2006
- Yugoslavia: Then and Now. The Washington Times publishes
AHF letter to the editor. AHF's Frank Koszorus
Jr. writes: "Jeffrey T. Kuhner observes that Yugoslavia is dead ("Yugoslavia,
rest in peace," Commentary, Thursday). Actually, Yugoslavia was stillborn.
Even as it was being cobbled together as part of post-World War I peacemaking,
Croats (and other nationalities) resented Belgrade's domination. Stjepan
Radic of the Croatian Peasant Party was interned for petitioning the peace
conference for Croatian autonomy and later was shot in parliament. Yugoslavia
was part of a far larger drama and tragedy that unfolded in 1920. By creating
an unworkable European order, the peacemakers following "the war
to end all wars" actually laid the groundwork for a greater conflagration
19 years later....." [download
the full article]
 2/2/2005
- The
Violence continues: Six-member Hungarian family
slain in Vojvodina, Serbia-Montenegro
(AP) Six members
of a Hungarian family were brutally killed in adjoining homes in a northern
Serbian town on the border with Hungary, radio B-92 reported Wednesday.
The bodies were found Tuesday in the family's adjoining homes in the town
of Horgos, after neighbors noticed the houses were unusually quiet. A
local court judge, Snjezana Lekovic, confirmed the killing, but police
gave no official statement on the case. Horgos lies in Serbia's northern
Vojvodina province that has recently seen a rise in attacks against the
region's minority ethnic Hungarians. [read more]
 1/11/2005
- The Szabadka Initiative:
AHF signs joint declaration of the Szabadka Initiative by ethnic
Hungarian political parties and human rights organizations from successor
states in an appeal to the Hungarian Government for more coherent support,
coordinated planning, and dual ctizenship. Fifteen organizations, including AHF Member CHACR,
from Europe, North America, and Latin America met January 5-6, 2005 in
Szabadka/Subotica (Vajdaság/Vojvodina, Serbia-Montenegro) to join
forces to...[read more]
 10/30/2004
- AHF
Releases Statement on Vojvodina Violence. Reacts to Anti-Hungarian Grafitti:
“Drop dead Hungarians”
In the last six months, non-Serbs, including members
of Vojvodina’s 300,000-strong Hungarian minority, have been harassed and
assaulted and their cemeteries and churches have been desecrated in a
wave of physical violence, vandalism and anti-Semitism. [read more]
Additional AHF Articles
 You will need the free Adobe Reader to open the following files. Click the image to download.
Articles and Essays by AHF Members
- "NATO Enlargement" by Frank Koszorus Jr. March 29, 2004
Remarks on the Occasion of the Enlargement of NATO, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. [download]
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- "Nato Enlargement And Minority Rights: Prerequisites To Security" by Frank Koszorus, Jr., April 2003
A memorandum that was submitted to Robert A. Bradtke, Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, and Heather A. Conley, Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs during a roundtable discussion on "NATO Enlargement and the Current State of the Trans-Atlantic Alliance." This submission follows several other intiatives, including submissions to Lord Roberston, Secretary General of NATO. [download]
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- “Nato Enlargement: Promoting Western Values, Strengthening The Alliance” by Frank Koszorus, Jr., April 29, 2003
A Statement Before The United States Senate Committee On Foreign Relations.
[download]
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- "U.S. Senate Unanimously Ratifies Nato Treaty; Senators Raise Rights Of Minorities: Federation Supports Efforts Aimed At Encouraging Romania And Slovakia To Respect Rights Of Hungarian Minorities And Restore Communal Properties" - Press Release by Zoltan Bagdy, May 9, 2003 [download]
Congressional Resolutions and Records
- H.RES 191 - A RESOLUTION urging the "prompt and fair restitution of church properties by Romania and Slovakia - TOM LANTOS / TOM TANCREDO (April 6th 2005) in the House of Representatives [download]
- A RESOLUTION REGARDING THE ISSUE OF TRANSYLVANIAN HUNGARIANS -- HON. DONALD E. `BUZ' LUKENS (Extension of Remarks - February 26, 1990) in the House of Representatives [download]
- VIOLENCE IN TRANSYLVANIA -- HON. DON RITTER (Extension of Remarks - March 22, 1990) in the House of Representatives [download]
- Transylvanian Monitor #14: Property Restitution.
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