Europe, Hungary need Turkey to be stable, says foreign minister

Ankara, August 23 (MTI) – Europe and Hungary have a clear interest in Turkish stability, the Hungarian foreign minister said in Ankara on Tuesday.

Turkey must remain a stable country otherwise migration pressure on Europe could grow “dramatically” along the Balkan route, impacting Hungary with similar repercussions as last year’s migration crisis, Péter Szijjártó said.

All attempts to destabilise Turkey must be rejected, the minister said. Hungary accordingly condemned the attempted coup mounted on July 15, he said, adding that anyone who attacks Turkey’s stability is attacking European security.

Foreign criticism in connection with the uncovering of those responsible for the attempted coup in Turkey is extremely damaging, Szijjártó said.

A military coup is “a serious matter, and requires a serious response,” he said, adding that respect must be maintained for the democratically elected leader and the government’s response to events.

“Friends who are in trouble are friends notwithstanding, and we must stand up for them,” he said. Relations must be good, and not only because of the agreement over refugees, the fight against the Islamic State terrorist organisation and NATO obligations, Szijjártó said.

The minister outlined three reasons why Turkey plays a determining role in the security of Europe: the issue of migration, resolving the war in Syria and the fight against terrorism.

The Hungarian authorities are thoroughly investigating whether there are any organisations operating in Hungary that pose a threat to the stability of Turkey, or whether there are any movements that cooperate with any such organisation, he said. If so then Hungary will take the necessary steps to guarantee its own security as well as that of Europe and Turkey, he added.

Earlier in August, commenting on Turkey’s request to close a school in Budapest in connection with the attempted coup related accusations against Fethullah Gulen, János Lázár, the government office chief, said that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had instructed the foreign and interior ministries to examine the request.

Szijjártó said Turkey’s stability is not just a matter of security for Hungary, but an economic issue as well. Bilateral trade between their countries came to 2.7 billion dollars in 2015, and further growth is expected thanks to a 208 million dollar Eximbank credit line for cooperation between Hungarian and Turkish businesses. Hungary operates 5 foreign trade houses and four diplomats specialised in foreign trade are stationed in Turkey. In future Hungarian energy company MVM plans to open a representation in Istanbul, he added.