| “Dear Readers, Hungary can shape international developments, political and economic progress and co-operation in our region, through her membership in the European Union and NATO, exploiting her geographic situation, economic performance, scientific, and cultural heritage. Significant changes over the last more than fifteen years in the situation of Hungary, of her immediate environment and of the whole world call for a rethinking of the priorities we formulated in our Euro-Atlantic integration policy, neighbourhood policy and nation policy in the era of our political transformation. The aim of the External Relations Strategy adopted by Government on 27 February 2008 is to answer this call and provide a framework for our international relations, guidance for our efforts, as well as to show our partners our responsible, predictable and values-based attitude, our solidarity and co-operative spirit. Our actions in the field of foreign policy and external relations must be global and local at the same time. The thrust of our activities is to work for an economically and socially sustainable development, to promote democratic values, human and minority rights. Our most efficient tool is co-operation within the European Union, with our NATO allies, and multilaterally. We contribute actively to the answers to global challenges, to the efficient functioning and to the shaping of the policies and institutions of the European Union which constitutes the first and foremost framework of our actions, to the peace support and peace enforcement operations of the international community, and to international development and assistance programmes. Based on the unchanged principle of good neighbourly co-operation we strive to shape a modernisation partnership with countries of our neighbourhood. We support the efforts of Hungarian minority communities in the neighbouring countries to preserve their identity, to acquire autonomy, and to advance economically and socially. We make the best use of the opportunities offered by synergies of a co-ordinated development of border regions, of deepening contacts between local governments in our neighbourhood policy and nation policy. In the domain of international relations business enterprises, NGOs, local governments and municipalities, and even tourists travelling abroad can influence the image others make of the country. We have included the actors of these relations and the organisations representing them in working out this strategy, and we will include them in its implementation and its further development. We have created the framework of a regular dialogue with ministries, parliamentary parties, local governments, social partners, research experts, and members of society in order to serve the interests of country and nation through common thinking, consensus, and co-ordinated action. We elaborate all this in the external relations strategy, now made public and offering guidance in our activities. I am pleased to draw your attention to this strategy and I trust that you will agree with it and support it. Dr. Kinga Göncz, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Hungary” March 11 th , 2008
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