Hungary’s foriegn minister decorates outgoing US ambassador

Budapest, January 17 (MTI) – Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó awarded outgoing US ambassador Colleen Bell Hungary’s Order of Merit, middle cross, in Budapest on Tuesday.

In his laudation, Szijjártó said that Bell had taken her post in Hungary at a time when “bilateral political cooperation was not at its best”. “The situation has greatly changed since,” he added. He praised Bell’s commitment to rebuilding ties and noted her “unconditional respect” for Hungary. The key to success is “mutual respect and continuous dialogue”, Szijjártó said.

Speaking about challenges facing the transatlantic community, Bell said cooperation and commitment to shared values were crucial. She added that as ambassador she had worked to promote ties between the peoples of Hungary and her country.

The outgoing ambassador has served in Hungary since January 2015.

Source: MTI