AHF and NATO Accession 2008

10/24/2008 – The American Hungarian Federation Participates in White House Briefing and Ceremony for NATO Accession Protocols for Croatia and Albania.  During a briefing at the White House on Friday, October 24, President George W. Bush thanked leaders from the Central and East European Coalition (the “CEEC”) for their support of NATO enlargement. The briefing preceded a ceremony in which President Bush signed NATO Accession Protocols for Croatia and Albania.  Frank Koszorus, Jr. and Zoltan Bagdy, co-presidents of the American Hungarian Federation (the “Federation”) – an active member of the CEEC – attended both events.

At the briefing in the State Dining Room, President Bush spoke to the CEEC members for nearly half an hour about the future of NATO, the priorities of his administration and its accomplishments. He thanked the members of the CEEC for their role in supporting the NATO enlargement process.  President Bush emphasized that the work of the CEEC must continue and that NATO must take in those countries that aspire to and are ready to share the burdens of membership, including Macedonia, Ukraine and Georgia.

United States Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker and Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs Barry Jackson also briefed the CEEC.  The topics discussed at the briefing included the President’s Freedom Agenda, the Victims of Communism Memorial in Washington, D.C., the Visa Waiver Program, issues facing Ukraine and Georgia, support of democracy building in Belarus and Cuba, the upcoming 60th NATO Summit in 2009, and current U.S./Russian relations.  On behalf of the CEEC, Mr. Koszorus raised the issue of MAP for Georgia and Ukraine during the briefing.

National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley, Deputy National Security Advisor Judith Ansley, Damon Wilson, Adam Sterling and Maria Germano of the National Security Council were also present at the briefing along with and Vanessa Beebe from the Office of Public Liaison.

 The CEEC submitted its October 2008 Position Statement to the White House.  In addition to many of the issues addressed at the briefing, the Statement, which the Federation helped draft, also included concerns regarding funding assistance to the Central and Eastern Europe, U.S. international broadcasting, energy security, human and minority rights, and prevention of totalitarian crimes and genocide.

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer joined President Bush at the signing ceremony in the East Room of the White House.  Ambassadors from Croatia and Albania attended the event along with Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY), foreign policy leaders, members of the diplomatic corps, and other members from U.S. ethnic organizations.

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• April 29, 2003 - US Senate Testimony: "NATO Enlargement: Promoting Western Values, Strengthening the Alliance." Calling attention to minority protections. before the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
• March 25, 2009 - US Senate Reception on the Occasion of the Policy Reception in Honor of NATO and Its Enlargement - : Remarks of Frank Koszorus, Jr.
• April 2009 - CEEC statement on NATO Enlargement and Supporting the Open Door Policy.
• July 2007 - Hungary's Accession to NATO: An expanded report by Frank Koszorus, Jr.
• October - November 1997: The Debate on NATO Enlargement:
  Hearings Before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Testimony of Frank Koszorus, Jr., President, AHFDC. An interesting exchange with Sen. John Kerry.
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• June 20, 1996 - U.S. Policy Toward NATO Enlargement: Hearing before the Committee on International Relations, United States House of Representatives 104th Congress, Second Session: Testimony of Frank Koszorus, Jr., President, AHFDC.
• June 2007 - Hudson Institute Panel: Enduring Strains of Communism in Central and Eastern Europe
• March 29, 2004 - On the Occasion of NATO Expansion, Corcoran Gallery of Art. AHF Remarks by Frank Koszorus, Jr.: NATO Enlargement and Minority Rights
• October 24, 2003 - AHF Memorandum on Romanian President Iliescu Visit

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