Central Asia key to counter terrorism, says Hungarian FM Szijjártó in Turkmenistan

Central Asia has an important role in efforts against extremist ideologies and terrorism, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in Turkmenistan on Monday.

According to footage from the foreign ministry, Szijjártó said that any development in central Asia has a security impact on Europe, and insisted that countries of that region need to be assisted so that they can protect their borders.

“Here, in the neighbourhood of Afghanistan, central Asian countries have a crucial role in controlling radical, extremist ideologies and terrorist organisations, and most importantly in preventing terrorists from illegally migrating to Europe,” Szijjártó said.

Szijjártó noted Turkmenistan’s significance in terms of energy supplies for Europe, and said that the country “opens up new opportunities” in light of “failed attempts to diversify” those supplies. “If a 60 km pipeline could be built between Turkmenistan’s gas fields and Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan’s huge natural gas reserves could contribute to supplies for Europe, including central Europe,” Szijjártó said.

It would be extremely important for Hungary to receive gas through the Southern Corridor from Turkmenistan, an opportunity to receive supplies from sources other than Russia, the foreign minister said.

The governments of Hungary and Turkmenistan have agreed on principles of the latter country contributing to Europe’s gas supplies with details to be discussed in the two countries’ mixed committee in October, Szijjártó said.

Source: MTI