Remarks by Ambassador Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis at the Annual Meeting of the Hungarian GCMC Alumni Association

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Budapest, June 7, 2012

- as prepared -

Thank you, Ambassador Bosenbacher and Deputy State Secretary Sztaray, I’m honored to be here at the annual meeting of the Hungarian Marshall Center Alumni Association.  I also want to recognize my fellow Ambassador Victor Micula from Romania.

Hungary and the George C. Marshall Center for Security Studies have a proud tradition of cooperation through education and outreach that has resulted in an extremely strong relationship. You cooperate on a broad range of issues and topics, and Hungary has sent some of its best and brightest over the years to Garmisch, Germany to participate and study in some extraordinary courses at various levels.  In fact, in just the last year Hungary has increased its level of participation and is currently at 120% attendance to allocated slots!  

I am happy to see so many of you here this evening.  It is evident and obvious the value that Hungary places in the Marshall Center, as we have seen many of your graduates rise to positions of importance within the various ministries and educational institutions in Hungary.  For example, Deputy State Secretaries Sztaray and Siklosi from MOD; Ambassador Miklos Boros at OSC; Ambassador Gabor Horvath at the EU; Major General (RET) István Juhász, Brigadier General József Horvath and of course Ambassador Bosenbacher and many others!

The leadership of the Marshall Center ensures that their courses of study and outreach are first class, and one of the leaders in this role is here with us today—Dr. James MacDougall, the Deputy Director of the Marshall Center. Prior to his appointment as Deputy Director, Dr. MacDougall served on the faculty of the National War College.  From November 2003 to March 2007, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Eurasia.  This was a culmination of 15 years of dedicated civilian service within the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy in a variety of positions focused primarily on Russia and the states of Eurasia.  The Marshall Center could not have found a more qualified and dedicated leader.  Ladies and Gentlemen, I am proud to introduce my friend, Dr. James MacDougall.

Thank you very much.