The participants of the conference, representatives of the government of Hungary, Hungary’s political parties, ethnic Hungarian organizations beyond Hungary’s borders with parliamentary or provincial representation, and Hungarians in the West;

bearing in mind the Statement issued by the First Conference between Hungary and ethnic Hungarian communities beyond the borders held on July 4-5, 1996 in Budapest;

considering that in the process leading to European unification, the preservation and development of linguistic and cultural heritage, and national identity, are in the fundamental interest of every nation;

and fully respecting the documents on national and ethnic minorities issued by the United Nations, the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and in harmony with the spirit of these documents;

have agreed upon the following:
 

1. The ethnic Hungarian communities beyond Hungary’s borders welcome the accession of Hungary to NATO and support its efforts to join the European Union. It is in their interest that the countries neighboring Hungary benefit from the advantages of Hungary’s accession to the European Union and NATO. They find it desirable that the process of accession — with particular reference to the Schengen agreement — not impact negatively on relations either between Hungary and ethnic Hungarians beyond the borders, or between Hungary and its neighbors. The conference participants believe that institutionalized dialogue between Hungary and ethnic Hungarians beyond the borders contributes to expanded security and economic development, and prevents the emergence of new dividing lines in the region.

 
2. Ethnic Hungarians beyond Hungary’s borders are citizens of other countries. At the same time, based on ties of a common language, culture, history and sense of identity, they are part of the Hungarian nation. The strengthening of regional security and stability is in the interest of both Hungary and ethnic Hungarian communities beyond the borders.

 
3. The Republic of Hungary provides assistance, through political means, to ethnic Hungarian communities beyond the borders to remain in their homeland and build civil society. A stable parliamentary democracy and the rule of law are necessary preconditions to these communities’ freedom to maintain their identity. The Republic of Hungary’s policy of assisting ethnic Hungarian communities to survive and prosper in their homelands aims to strengthen the democracies and market economies of those countries where they live.

 
4. The violation of minority rights, especially when caused by extremist nationalism, can curtail the freedom of ethnic Hungarians beyond the borders to maintain their identity, and may result in their assimilation and emigration. This can trigger political and social tensions, thus hindering the Euro-Atlantic integration of the countries in the region. Hungary, therefore, in concert with the democratic political aims of ethnic Hungarian minority communities beyond the borders, takes initiatives to secure the community and individual rights of ethnic Hungarians living as minorities.

 
5. The goal of Hungary’s national policy is that individual and community rights be guaranteed to Hungarians living in the countries neighboring Hungary in accordance with successful practices found in Western European democracies. To achieve this result in the Central Europe region, further effective legislative and governmental measures are needed to enable minority communities to manage their own affairs in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity.

 
6. To achieve this objective, the participants shall increase their efforts to promote the Euro-Atlantic integration of the countries of Central Europe. The movement toward closer union with the Euro-Atlantic community creates conditions which favor the strengthening of those political figures in the various states who are committed to democratic principles. This process is further enhanced by the various forms of regional, sub-regional and cross-border cooperation, including cooperation between municipalities located in the immediate vicinity of borders, with the active involvement of ethnic Hungarians living in the individual countries.

 
7. The ethnic Hungarian communities living outside Hungary — in some cases as members of their respective governments — are able to influence to a significant degree the domestic and foreign policies of those states in which they live. Hungarian national minorities strengthen the system of parliamentary democracy and a free market economy, because it is in their vital interest to do so. In foreign policy, they assume a role in supporting the Euro-Atlantic integration efforts of these states. The success of these efforts is in the Hungarian national interest, that is, in the common interest of both the Hungarian minorities living in the countries of Central Europe and that of Hungary itself. To realize this purpose, greater dialogue is needed between the Republic of Hungary and the organizations of ethnic Hungarians, which can be achieved through institutionalizing their relations. The forms and institutions of the dialogue will be fashioned in strict compliance with the international legal regulations governing interstate relations and in harmony with the democratic legal systems of the countries neighboring Hungary.

 
8. In order to promote the implementation of the foregoing principles, and to achieve continuity in relations between Hungary and ethnic Hungarian communities beyond the borders, the participants of the conference made this meeting into a standing conference under the name of Hungarian Standing Conference. The Hungarian Standing Conference will function as a political consultative body, whose members are the representatives of ethnic Hungarian organizations beyond Hungary’s borders with parliamentary or provincial representation, Hungary’s political parties, the government of Hungary, and Hungarians in the West, but in all instances guaranteeing the participation of each Hungarian national minority community in the region. The Hungarian Standing Conference shall be convened at least once a year through invitation by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Hungary. It will set its own work schedule.

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Hungarian Human Rights Foundation