Hungarian FM Szijjártó: We aren’t responsible for wars but are paying the price

Voters will have a chance in the June 9 European parliamentary elections to tell the European politicians “talking crazy” that they have had enough, and to choose peace, Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade said in Amman on Wednesday.

Péter Szijjártó told a joint press conference with Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi that both Hungary and Jordan faced grave security challenges in their respective regions, while neither were to blame for the regional tensions surrounding them.

“Neither of us are in any way responsible for the eruption of these conflicts, yet we are still among those paying the price for them,” Szijjártó said, according to a ministry statement.

“Hungarians are rightfully fed up with this,” he said. “The Hungarian people want peace, and the entire country, the entire nation is baffled by the dangerous and crazy things certain European politicians say… Certain European politicians want to send troops to Ukraine, while others are fantasising about the deployment of nuclear weapons.”

“Either one of those will result in a world war, and those of us in the direct vicinity of the conflicts will be the ones paying the price of that, too,” he said.

Szijjártó said voters would have a chance to vote for peace in the June 9 EP elections, “and send a message to the European politicians talking crazy that they’ve had enough”.

He said stable and reliable partnerships based on mutual respect like the one between Hungary and Jordan were all the more important in the current situation.

The foreign minister expressed Hungary’s appreciation for Jordan’s role in preserving the region’s stability and in the fight against terrorism and extremism.

He said the international community should be focused on preventing an escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the outbreak of an open inter-state war.

“Another reason why we consider Jordan’s stability and common-sense approach to be of key importance is because we believe it is such policies that offer hope that there can one day be peace in the Middle East again,” Szijjártó said.

Szijjártó said everything had to be done to protect civilians, calling the hampering of humanitarian efforts “unacceptable”. He also called for the immediate release of the hostages.

He praised Jordan’s role in the care provided to refugees, warning that without it, the millions who have fled their homes would set off for Europe.

“Therefore we believe Jordan deserves all the support possible from Europe,” he said, adding that during its upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Hungarian government intended to convene a meeting of the Jordan-EU Association Council to debate the matter of further assistance.

Hungary has supported Jordan in its caring for refugees with 4 million US dollars over the last five years, Szijjártó said, adding that the Hungary Helps humanitarian programme will open a representative office in Amman.

He said Hungary and Jordan had signed multiple agreements during his visit, including one under which Hungary will offer scholarships to 400 Jordanian university students each year.

The sides are also launching a joint training programme for young diplomats, strengthening cooperation in the field of environmental protection and starting a youth cooperation programme.

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