"Hungary will increase defence spending by 7% next year and by 0.2% of GDP annually over the next five years, Defence Minister Imre Szekeres announced Thursday as NATO defence ministers began a two-day informal conference in Budapest. Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány confirmed Hungary will steadily increase its defence spending over the next few years.The 2009 draft budget states that defence spending will total Ft 338.388 billion, 7% more than this year, or 1.17% of GDP.
Some 12% of Hungary’s land forces are serving in foreign missions, including peacekeeping operations, Szekeres said, adding that only the US and Great Britain have a higher figure among NATO countries.
Gyurcsány met separately with US Defence Secretary Robert Gates to discuss ongoing NATO operations.
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer announced that NATO will send seven battleships to the coast of Somalia at the request of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, to ensure that Somalis receive food shipments which are regularly stolen by pirates, and to crush the pirates.
Speaking on Kossuth tér, Scheffer told Hungarian soldiers back from their tour of duty in Afghanistan that they had performed their duties to the highest standard. He also met with President László Sólyom.
Elsewhere, Scheffer said a new strategy, more funds and more soldiers are required in Afghanistan. Gates urged member states to authorise NATO troops to take action against the manufacture and trafficking of opium, as the crop generates $80 billion annually for the Taliban insurgents.
Gates meanwhile urged NATO member states to invite Georgia and Ukraine to the ‘ante-chamber’ of the military alliance in December. A substantive exchange of views is expected today on the situation in Georgia.
Ministers from 26 member states and 16 other countries playing a part in NATO operations are attending the two-day summit."
Source: Hungary Around the Clock.
This news item is one of many published daily by HATC, a premier subscription news service which distributes English-language info about Hungary via email or fax. For a free trial of HATC follow this link and click on 'Free Trial Subscription'.
13.10.2008