President, party leaders agree to promote water at Rio+20

Budapest, June 15 (MTI) - President Janos Ader and party leaders agreed on Friday that Hungary should promote water sustainability and related issues at the June 20-22 Rio+20 summit.

Ader asked leaders of the five parliamentary parties to help form Hungary s standpoint ahead of his visit to Rio de Janeiro heading a delegation to the United Nations Earth Summit.

Noting that 95 percent of the country s rivers and streams flow in from abroad, Ader said Hungary itself faces potential water-security problems. But beyond its borders, around 2 billion people would be living in areas with absolute water scarcity by 2025, he said, citing a UN report.

Antal Rogan, the ruling Fidesz group leader, said water was an priority issue, but he also emphasised the importance of preserving forests and other natural resources.

Attila Mesterhazy, the Socialist leader, asked the president to strongly promote the concept of sustainability in Hungary after the conference ends.

Group leader of radical party Jobbik, Zoltan Balczo, welcomed that Hungary would promote water issues, since it already had great experience in exporting its expertise in water management.

LMP lawmaker Andras Schiffer suggested "food sovereignty" -- a country s right to define its farm and food policy -- should be another topic addressed by Hungary s delegation in Rio.

Ader said he would propose that Hungary should host a UN conference in the autumn of 2013, giving the country the opportunity to demonstrate its extensive experience and practice in water management, he said.