A Luncheon Briefing

Ambassador André Erdös is visiting New Orleans as part of the Business Council for the United Nations National Conference Program. Ambassador Erdös became the Permanent Representative of Hungary to the United Nations in 1997. Prior to this appointment, Ambassador Erdös was Deputy State Secretary for Foreign Affairs in charge of multilateral questions, a position to which he was named in 1994. In that capacity, he addressed matters relating to the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as well as such issues as disarmament and the question of national minorities.

In 1995, Ambassador Erdös served as Vice President of the Review and Extension Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). He was also appointed as a member of the Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters by the then Secretary-General. Previously, in 1994, he had served as Chairman of the United Nations Disarmament Commission.

Ambassador Erdös also previously served as Hungary’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 1990 to 1994, as well as serving on the Security Council in 1992 and 1993.

He was a member of Hungary’s delegation to the General Assembly session in 1984, 1985 and 1989, and was also assigned to Hungary’s United Nations Mission from 1978 to 1983. In 1982, he served as special assistant to Imre Hollai of Hungary, the President of the thirty-seventh session of the General Assembly.

As a staff member of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) Department in Hungary’s Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Erdös took part in CSCE meetings in Geneva (1973-1975) and Belgrade (1977-1978), and attended the 1975 CSCE Summit Meeting in Helsinki. From 1984 to 1986, he was Adviser to Hungary’s Foreign Minister. Subsequently, as Ambassador, he led Hungary’s delegations to the Vienna CSCE follow-up meetings from 1986 to 1989.

Ambassador Erdös graduated from the Moscow State Institute for International Relations in 1965, joining the Hungarian Foreign Ministry that year in its Arab and Asian Departments. From 1968 to 1972, he served as Attaché at the Embassy in Morocco.

For 20 years, the Business Council for the United Nations (BCUN) National Conference Programs have provided business leaders across the U.S. with a unique, one-on-one opportunity to exchange information and concerns with world diplomats, bringing a greater understanding of the UN to the business community while UN diplomats gain awareness of U.S. business. BCUN assists the national corporate community in building paths for international communication and in gaining an awareness of pressing global issues from the inside-out. The New Orleans session is one of 40 BCUN conferences this year. On this trip, Ambassador Erdös will also visit Little Rock, St. Louis, and Nashville accompanied by BCUN President & CEO Sam Brookfield.

About the New United Nations Association, New Orleans Chapter

The June 14 luncheon program is the first event sponsored by the new Greater New Orleans Chapter of the United Nations Association, which was established on April 15 at a chapter organizational meeting at the World Trade Center. The purpose of the UNA-USA – the nation’s largest foreign policy organization – is to build support for constructive U.S. leadership in a more effective United Nations. For more information about the new chapter’s activities and how to become a member, call Dr. Dwight Ramsey, President, at (504) 488-0926.

Sponsoring Organizations

Business Council of the United Nations

United Nations Association of the USA,

Greater New Orleans Chapter

Louisiana Department of Economic Development

World Trade Center of New Orleans

In Cooperation With

Ark-La-Tex Regional Export & Technology Center

Baton Rouge Center for World Affairs

City of New Orleans, Office of International Trade

Consular Corps of New Orleans

New Orleans U.S. Export Assistance Center

Europe/Louisiana Business Council

International Freight Forwarders &

Customs Brokers Association

Louisiana District Export Council

Louisiana International Trade Center/SBDC

Louisiana International Trade Commission

Traffic & Transportation Club of Greater New Orleans

 Registration Fee: $22 for members of the sponsoring organizations and $27 for non-members.