Szijjarto: Hungary, Azerbaijan to Start Talks on Strategic Partnership

Baku (MTI) – Hungary and Azerbaijan aim to conclude a strategic partnership agreement, and related talks will start next week, the Hungarian foreign minister said on an official visit to Baku.

“As the most rapidly developing country with the strongest economy in the Caucasus region, Azerbaijan seeks to boost its economic and investment relations with Hungary,” Peter Szijjarto told MTI over the phone. “Since this is also in Hungary’s interest, we agreed on starting talks about a strategic partnership pact.”

Szijjarto held talks on Monday with Azerbaijan leaders, including President Ilham Aliyev, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, Deputy Prime Minister Abid Sharifov, Economic Development Minister Shahin Mustafayev and Tourism Minister Abulfaz Garayev. He also met Shahmar Movsumov, the CEO of the Azeri State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan.

Talks will formally start at the meeting of President Aliyev and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Nov. 11 in Budapest, he noted.

Hungary and Azerbaijan will sign four agreements next week. One covers air transport, under which Hungarian low-cost airline WizzAir will re-launch its Budapest-Baku service next March.

Hungary will provide scholarships to 200 Azeri students under another. The two other pacts cover cooperation in youth, sports and tourism programmes.

Azerbaijan’s economy has increased its performance eightfold over the past ten years. Hungary’s exports to that country grew by 38 percent in 2013 and by 18 percent in the first eight months of this year, he said.

Szijjarto said he agreed with his partners to strengthen bilateral cooperation in farming, water management, as well as in the construction and pharmaceutical sectors.

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters