Hungary is obstructing the scheduling of a NATO-Ukraine Commission meeting at the ministerial level and Budapest's position is regrettable, US Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker told reporters on Monday.
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th December, 2018) Hungary is obstructing the scheduling of a NATO-Ukraine Commission meeting at the ministerial level and Budapest's position is regrettable, US Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker told reporters on Monday."Hungary is blocking Ukraine's relationship with NATO at the moment, and we think it's very unfortunate," Volker said. "We are unable to schedule a ministerial level meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission because Hungary blocks it."
Hungary has blocked the meetings of the NATO-Ukraine Commission at the level of heads of state and government over its tensions with Kiev with respect to Ukraine's 2017 education law, which restricts national minority children's right to study in their native languages.
Volker said it is legitimate to voice grievances concerning Ukraine's education law so the issue can be addressed based on well-established European principles.
"These are things that deserve serious attention... This is something that can imminently be worked out bilaterally between Ukraine and Hungary based on European principles that are well-established in other places. So, I think this is an issues, but I think it's a very solvable issue and it is inappropriate and missing the forest for the trees, if you will, to hold Ukraine's relationship with NATO hostage," Volker said.
Relations between the two countries, which deteriorated over the 2017 education law, worsened in September over reports that the Hungarian consulate in Beherove near the Hungarian border - issued Hungarian passports to Ukrainian citizens.
Ukraine said Hungary issued passports knowing that Kiev does not recognize dual citizenship and expelled the Hungarian consul from the country, prompting Budapest to respond in kind.
