Subscribe to our social channels to get the latest news about Hungary!
Is Hungary’s future in the East? – the foreign minister met his Kazakh counterpart
Change language:
The Hungarian government’s policy of opening to the East has lived up to its promise, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said after talks with Mukhtar Tleuberdi, his Kazakh counterpart, in Budapest on Friday.
The role of the East in the global economy has grown significantly in recent years and the balanced bilateral relations Hungary has built with eastern countries will also benefit Hungarian businesses, Szijjártó told a press conference he held jointly with Tleuberdi. Hungary devotes special attention to Central Asia, the minister said, pointing to the region’s rapid economic growth. He also noted the Europen Union’s strategy to intensify cooperation with the region.
Szijjártó called Kazakhstan a key player in Centra Asia,
praising its efforts to combat terrorism and religious extremism.
“Today, with the threat of new illegal migration waves looming, it’s important to take action against their most serious causes – terrorism and religious extremism,” he said.
- Hungarian FM Szijjártó discusses improving relations with Ukrainian counterpart
- The accord brokered by US President Trump would mandate a Nobel Peace Prize to be granted to him, says FM Szijjártó
- Foreign minister Szijjártó would have fired diplomats asking for home office during the epidemic
The situation in Central Asia has a significant impact on the security of Europe, Szijjártó said, underlining the importance of Kazakhstan’s ability to maintain stability in the region. He noted that Kazakhstan and the EU have committed to strengthening their cooperation and partnership, and he expressed Hungary’s support for a visa facilitation agreement between the two sides. Kazakhstan has already offered its own visa exemptions, and the EU should do the same, Szijjártó said.
The minister also noted Hungary’s observer status in the Turkic Council of which Kazakhstan is also a member. As regards cultural and education ties, Szijjártó said
Hungary offers scholarships to 250 Kazakh university students.
Turning to economic cooperation, he said the coronavirus pandemic was set to bring about a new global economic order “in which Hungary wants to be among the winners”. This is why it is crucial that Hungarian businesses succeed in expanding their presence on the global market and that they take advantage of the fact that there are no unresolved political issues between Hungary and Kazakhstan, Szijjártó said.
Hungarian oil and gas company MOL has now invested more than 200 million dollars in Kazakhstan.
The company is exploring a new major gas field in the country and is set to begin extracting it next year, he added. Hungarian drugmaker Richter is also expanding its market share in Kazakhstan, Szijjártó said. Hungarian exports to Kazakhstan have increased by 69 percent so far this year, he said, adding that