Bahrein important pro-peace partner of Hungary, says minister

Hungary has confirmed its dedication to its pro-peace partner, Bahrein, the defence ministry said on Friday.

The ministry cited Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky saying after bilateral talks with Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Bahrain Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa that cooperation was needed to handle global and regional challenges. The statement added that this was the first occasion that a Hungarian defence minister had paid an official visit to Bahrein.

The minister said that ongoing conflicts in various parts of the world posed security challenges, and Hungary’s position was that Europe’s stability is unimaginable without the stability of the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa). As a result, it is important to develop closer cooperation for handling global and regional challenges, he added.

Szalay-Bobrovniczky said that Hungary was committed to ensuring the stability of the MENA region. “For this purpose, we are continually increasing our presence in the region, and we cooperate with the countries that are open to stability and partnership, such as Bahrein,” he said. “We greatly appreciate the efforts by Gulf States to strengthen the stability of the Middle East,” he added.