Brussels, 30/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - According to the Hungarian minister for foreign affairs, János Martonyi, who was speaking at a conference on minorities at the European Parliament on 27 June, Europe's diversity, as a source of creativity, has to be protected and strengthened. Participants examined the new aspects contained within the Lisbon Treaty on how these could impact on national and linguistic minorities. They drew attention to the protection of minorities in member states and said that the situation was particularly worrying in some member states. They emphasised that sustainable and efficient solutions were necessary. MEPs from the different regions considered that is necessary to resolve the ever-increasing contradictions between principles and implementation of provisions in favour of protecting minorities. László Tökes, a Hungarian from Romania and Vice-President of the EP, appealed for a single system for protecting minorities and supporting autonomous cultural and regional authorities at a European level. Speaking on behalf of the European Commission, Françoise Le Bail (DG Justice) and Jan Truszcynski (DG Education and Culture) said that improved regulation and a new approach depended upon political determination. (I.L./transl.fl)