Keresés: Xi

Ambassador Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky met Robin Niblett, Director of the Royal Institute of International Affairs, commonly known as Chatham House on 22 March 2017, at the think tank’s London headquarters.

The parties exchanged views about recent developments in Hungary and the United Kingdom, including the Brexit process. Regarding this latter, the Ambassador underlined the importance of guaranteeing the acquired rights of Hungarian nationals residing in the UK. The Director gave an overview about the work of the prominent think tank, inter alia outlining the fact that recent developments in world politics, such as Brexit and the new US administration, have a significant impact on the focus of Chatham House publications and events.

Ambassador Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky met Karin von Hippel, Director General of the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies, commonly known as RUSI, the oldest security and defence think tank in the world, and also Jonathan Eyal, International Director of RUSI on 28 March 2017, at the think tank’s prominent Whitehall building.

The parties exchanged views about recent developments in the field of  security and defence policy, including possible impacts of the Brexit process. The Director General gave an overview about the work of RUSI, inter alia underlining the fact that recent changes in world politics make the work of thinks tanks ever more important.

Ambassador Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky hosted a discussion with Bob Neill, Chairman Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group, Hungary and other prominent Conservative Members of the Parliament on 28 March 2017.
Bob Neill MP, Dominic Grieve MP, Lord Hunt of Wirral, Lord Cormack and Lord Inglewood explained the reasons for their support for the continuation of the close cooperation between the United Kingdom and the European Union and exchanged views about the future of Great Britain and Europe. The Ambassador gave an overview about the official positon of the Hungarian government on the Brexit process and underlined the increased importance of the Visegrad 4 countries. 

The Hungarian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó arrived to London for a two-day visit on 5 July 2017 upon the invitation of the Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson to participate at the Ukraine Reform Conference. Minister Szijjártó spoke at the plenary of the Conference and later met the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Pavlo Klimkin. He underlined that “Hungary is a committed and strong supporter of the Ukrainian reform processes which is in its upmost interest both as a neighbouring country and in light of the 150 thousand Hungarians living in Ukraine”.
Minister Szijjártó also conducted negotiations with his British partners. He met the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond and the Secretary of State for Exiting the EU, David Davis to discuss issues of common interest, among others bilateral trade and investment relations and the current state of the Brexit negotiations.
Mr Szijjártó continued his programme with a speech at the CityUK Annual conference, had in depth discussion with analysts of the financial sector at a roundtable event organised by Bloomberg and gave several interviews, among others to the BBC2 Newsnight programme.
At the end of the day Minister Szijjártó participated at the official opening reception to launch Hungary’s presidency of the Visegrád 4 group.
Further information at the following link: http://www.kormany.hu/en/ministry-of-foreign-affairs-and-trade/news/hungary-is-a-committed-supporter-of-ukrainian-reforms

In the frame of the Hungarian Presidency of the V4 in London, Ambassador Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky invited Baroness Anelay, Minister of State at the Department for Exiting the European Union for a discussion. 
The Ambassador with his partners from the Checz Republic, Poland and Slowakia aimed to receive an insight on the UK priorities for the upcoming months regarding Brexit, including the new parliamentary season and legislation and to channel in the views of the V4.

Ambassador Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky had on 9 october 2017 an insightful meeting with the Westminster leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, Nigel Dodds MP in preparation of the Ambassador’s upcoming visit to Northern Ireland. 
The meeting focused on the political situation in Belfast, the legislative work at Westminster, and the implications of Brexit.

Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary participated at the informal meeting of foreign ministers of the V4, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Slovenia hosted by Boris Johnson, Foreign secretary of the United Kingdom in Kent on 15 October 2017.
They discussed current issues of foreign and security policy among others Iran, North Korea and the future of Europe in the context of Brexit.

Gergely Gulyás, leader of the FIDESZ parliamentary group and Vice-President of the FIDESZ arrived in London for an official visit on 23 November 2017. He met Greg Hands, Minister of State for Trade Policy to discuss bilateral relations and British plans for international trade after Brexit. In Westminster he held talks with Baroness Evans of Bowes Park, Leader of the House of Lords, with Bob Neill MP, the head of the All-Party Parliamentary Group of Hungary and David Davies MP on current political topics such as the stand of the Brexit negotiations. Gergely Gulyás continued his visit with meetings with Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform and Ben Harris-Quinney, president of the Bow Group. 

As part of the Hungarian Presidency of the V4 in London, Ambassador Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky invited Keir Starmer, Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the EU for a discussion with the Ambassadors of the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia.

Ambassador Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky met Cressida Dick, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police on 12 January 2017 and had an excellent discussion on security issues, while recognizing the outstanding existing and continuously strengthening law enforcement cooperation between Hungary and the United Kingdom.

Bevezetés: Kristóf Altusz, Deputy State Secretary for European and American Affairs payed an official visit to London on 13 February 2018.
During his meetings at 10 Downing Street, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Parliament he expressed the Hungarian Government’s support for a fair Brexit and held consultations on bilateral relations and foreign policy issues. 

Mr Zoltán Kovács, the spokesperson of the Hungarian government was in London for an official visit on 5 March 2018.

The Spokesperson gave background briefing to British journalists, international and Hungarian correspondents about current political and economic developments in Hungary, including the upcoming national election, the migration policy, the Hungarian priorities in the Brexit negotiation and Hungary’s V4 Presidency. He also met his counterparts at the Prime Minister’s Office, James Slack and Paul Harrison.

As part of the Hungarian Presidency of the Visegrad Group, Ambassador Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky hosted a meeting with the Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Secretary of State for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy and the Visegrad Group Ambassadors on 18 March 2018.

The discussion focused on the UK industrial strategy, Brexit’s effects on the economy as well as businesses, and the most recent developments in relation to energy policy. 

Ambassador Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky met Sir Nicholas Soames Conservative MP in the Westminster Parliament on 28 March 2018.

The discussion was about the state of the Brexit negotiations, the politics of the United Kingdom, current topics of foreign affairs such as Russia and migration and the legacy of this grandfather, Sir Winston Churchill.

The Hungarian Embassy hosted the conference of Századvég Foundation and The Spectator organised to discuss the 2018 results of the ’Where is Europe heading?” Project 28 opinion poll of perspectives on the EU, migration, terrorism and globalization.
 
The master of ceremony was Andrew Neil, renowned British media personality, who praised the research as an important annual indicator of global and European tendencies. Zsolt Barthel-Rúzsa, the Chairman of the Századvég Foundation introducing the 2018 Project 28 called attention to the fact that a certain gloom has taken over in Western European countries concerning future prospects, while Central European countries still retain their sense of optimism. The research has shown that this pessimism is also correlated to negative attitudes concerning the consequences of high level of immigration. The keynote speech was given by József Szájer, Vice Chairman of the EPP in the European Parliament, who pointed out that according to the findings, the population of the EU lost their confidence in their ability to influence their leaders. To build confidence again between the citizens and the elite, ideas connected to national identity and national sovereignty must take central role again in decision making processes.
 
In the panel discussion Douglas Murray, the assistant editor of The Spectator and author of The Strange Death of Europe, warned that EU leaders seemingly refuse to pay attention to the wishes of the voters, who do not agree with the notion that Europe is for everyone in the world who wants to live there. The question the European voters keep on asking is, if Europe is for everyone, as the elite is trying to argue with inconsistent arguments (refugee crisis, labor shortage, etc), then where is the home for Europeans?
 
David Goodhart, the researcher of the Policy Exchange think tank and author of The Road to Somewhere explained the results of the opinion poll with unfavourable consequences of globalisation on social-economic tendencies and the chasm between the elite profiting from globalisation and those groups who are suffering from its outcomes. He expressed his opinion that a successful Brexit, meaning a United Kingdom outside of the EU, which cooperates both with the Union and other countries, might be regarded as a good model for the future.
 
Henry Newman, the director of Open Europe think tank warned that the elite in the EU27 didn’t engage in any introspection after the Brexit vote. The population still hasn’t regained its confidence in their leaders after the economic crisis, which is now under strain again due to a lack of internal security caused by terrorism and therefore decisive actions are expected from political leaders in these areas.
 
The 2018 results of the opinion poll are available at: project28.eu

As part of the Hungarian Presidency of the Visegrad Group, Ambassador Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky hosted a meeting with Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs and the Visegrad Group Ambassadors on 13 April 2018.

The discussion focused on the policy priorities for the Scottish government as well as the situation of EU citizens in Scotland, Brexit and the British domestic and foreign political situation . Secretary Hyslop informed the ambassadors of the new „Scotland is now” campaign (www.scotland.org/Scotland_Is_Now‎)

As part of the Hungarian Presidency of the Visegrad Group, Ambassador Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky hosted a meeting with Nick Clegg former deputy prime minister and former leader of the liberal democrats and the Visegrad Group Ambassadors on 16 April 2018.

The discussion focused on the state of play of European and British politics, including Brexit and the challenges facing the UK and the EU.

In the British capital he met the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union and the Minister for the Cabinet Office, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 24 May 2018.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary Mr. Péter Szijjártó arrived to London to meet high level government officials to discuss British-Hungarian relations. Rt Hon David Davis MP, Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union informed the Minister about the status of the Brexit negotiations and reassured him that the UK aims to guarantee the rights of the Hungarian nationals living in the UK. The Minister exchanged views with Rt Hon David Lidington CBE MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster about the latest political developments in their countries and Europe. Minister Szijjártó continued his visit at the Oxford University, where he participated in the Oxford Union society’s traditional debate.

As part of the Hungarian V4 Presidency, Ambassador Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky hosted Democratic Unionist Party MPs Westminster leader Nigel Dodds QBE and Sir Jeffrey Donaldson chief whip.

Together with the Czech, Polish and Slovakian ambassadors the parties discussed devolution in Northern Ireland, the state of play on Brexit, its impact on Northern Ireland and the upcoming priorities for Westminster.   

Hungary’s Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office Gergely Gulyás arrived in London for a one-day working visit on 11 October 2018.

Minister Gulyás, who is also responsible for EU affairs, met Home Secretary Sajid Javid to discuss the rights of Hungarian citizens living in the UK and British citizens residing in Hungary in light of Brexit, respecting the outcome of the 2016 Brexit referendum, as well as the future of the EU-UK security partnership against the backdrop of emerging cross-border threats. During his discussion with David Lidington, the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster the ongoing Brexit negotiations, the future of Europe and the possibilities to strengthen bilateral relations in the future were the main topics. He exchanged views with Minister of State at the Department for Exiting the European Union Lord Callanan the current state of the Brexit negotiations and the upcoming European Parliamentary elections. Minister Gergely Gulyás continued his visit in London with meeting prominent members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, among others Bob Neill, the Chairman of the Hungarian All-Party Parliamentary Group and former Minister Greg Hands, and also representatives of think tanks, with whom they had an exchange of views  on Hungarian and British domestic policy developments, inevitably Brexit and also the potential of the future, post-Brexit bilateral cooperation of Hungary and the UK.