Washington refuses to commemorate Hungarian Revolution of 1956

The Wilson Center in Washington does not welcome the conference that commemorates the 60^th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, presumably so as not to give a podium to Hungarian PM Orbán, nol.hu writes.

The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, one of the most renowned institutions of foreign policy research refused the Hungarian Embassy’s request to hold a conference in honour of the anniversary of the 1956 Revolution. The request arrived at the beginning of the summer and the refusal was an unexpected outcome, considering that the Hungarian party has already made suggestions for the conference’s programme and guest list.

The event was planned for mid-October, and there were plans on the Hungarian side to delegate a not yet named person “of high rank” from Budapest. The possibility of receiving someone whose scientific background is not worthy of the standards of the Wilson Center became a concern on the American side. Moreover, according to nol.hu, they may have been aware of a recent interview with Index, in which Péter Szijjártó stated that “decision has not yet been made”, but there is a proposition that PM Orbán would visit the US around the time of the anniversary.

[box] For the 50th anniversary of the revolution, a memorial year was held in 2006 in the US to celebrate the occasion. In July, George W. Bush visited Hungary where, among other things, he said: “In the heart of Europe, Hungary represents freedom’s triumph over tyranny. The US is proud to call Hungary a friend.”[/box]

The current American standpoint on Hungary and Hungary’s PM would suggest that the otherwise politically independent Wilson Center does not wish to receive either Orbán, or a historian on behalf of the Hungarian government.

It is possible that the event will be held regardless, in a less official location, although there is not much time left for organisation.

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According to Washington sources, nol.hu writes, Szijjártó has requested to meet US Secretary of State John Kerry, but has been directly refused. Then again, the Hungarian Foreign Minister said in the aforementioned interview that he had suggested to Victoria Nuland, US Secretary of State for European Affairs, not to meet again because “it is unnecessary to ruin the political cooperation any further”. Such instances make it seem improbable that PM Orbán would be welcomed in Washington.

Copy editor: bm

Source: nol.hu