Ader welcomes more intensive relations with Turkey

(MTI) – Ties between Hungary and Turkey have become “much more intensive” in recent years, President Janos Ader said after meeting Abdullah Gul, his Turkish counterpart, in Budapest on Monday.

At a press conference after the talks, Ader said that two-way trade had quadrupled between 2002 and 2013, and had increased by 30 percent last year alone.

Gul noted that the two countries’ trade turnover currently amounted to an annual two billion dollars, and the sides were aiming to raise this to five billion dollars by promoting investments.

The Turkish president said he would encourage businessmen from both countries at an economic forum planned for the afternoon to “open up” to each other. Turkey, the sixth largest economy in Europe, offers tremendous opportunities, he added.

Ader said Turkey had made “fantastic economic achievements” in the past 10 years, tripling its economic output. Trade ties with Hungary also improved considerably, and Monday’s talks focused on ways to maintain or increase that momentum, he added.

Concerning culture, Ader noted that Hungarian and Turkish cultural centres had opened last year, in Istanbul and Budapest, respectively. He added that Hungarian-Turkish friendly societies were active in four Turkish cities, while it is a priority in Hungary to renovate Ottoman monuments in the country.

The Turkish president thanked Hungary for supporting for Turkey’s European integration, and invited Ader to pay a visit to Istanbul.

In the afternoon, Gul will hold talks with House Speaker Laszlo Kover in Parliament and take part at a business forum with Prime Minister Viktor Orban in attendance.

Photo: MTI

Source: http://hungarymatter.hu/