When Hungary takes over the rotating six-month Presidency of the European Union on January 1, its focus will be EU enlargement and the stability of the Western Balkans - including starting a dialogue and solving the open issues between Belgrade and Pristina.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi said that Budapest has expressed strong support for talks between Belgrade and Pristina, and that it is disappointed by the delay.

In any case, we would like talks to start with the most neutral technical elements and move toward the more sensitive issues, related to the status of Kosovo.

The key is that the two sides engage in dialogue and we know the EU has offered to facilitate the process, the Hungarian foreign minister said, reported Radio Free Europe.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said last week, after a meeting with the President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy in Budapest, that Hungary will insist on further expansion of the EU, because it is in the interest of both current and future members.

I want to restore the enlargement momentum, because the process would also help to solve internal problems in the EU. Those who are expanding are at the same time building and showing they believe in their own future, and what the Union needs most today is to firmly believe in its potential, Orban said at a joint news conference with Rompuy.

Orban noted that Hungary has a hard six months ahead, because decisions that have been put off for years now need to be made, but added that Hungary is undaunted by the task.

He said the most important events during Hungary's Presidency include the energy summit set for February in Brussels, and another lined up for May in Budapest with Eastern European leaders participating.