Hungarian foreign minister meets Central Asian counterparts

Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó held talks with his Tajik and Kyrgyz counterparts in Budapest on Wednesday, the foreign ministry said.

They attended the foreign ministerial meeting of the Visegrád Group and Central Asia.

Szijjártó discussed the security situation in Europe with Tajik deputy Foreign Minister Muzaffar Huseynzoda, the ministry said.

With its 1,300km border with Afghanistan, Tajikistan plays a crucial role in European security, the officials agreed. Recognising the importance of preventing a flow of migrants and terrorists from Afghanistan into Europe, Hungary will urge the EU to earmark more border protection funding for Tajikistan in its next seven-year budget cycle, the ministry said in a statement.

Szijjártó earlier in the day held talks with his Kyrgyz counterpart Erlan Abdyldaev.

The officials discussed opportunities for Hungarian companies to participate in water industry projects, including the construction of reservoirs and hydropower plants as well as water purification plants in Central Asia, the ministry said in a statement.

The two ministers agreed to begin talks on concluding accords on double taxation avoidance and investment protection to allow Hungarian pharmaceutical and farm technology companies greater access to the Kyrgyz market.

Szijjártó met with Kairat Abdrakmanov, the foreign minister of Kazakhstan, later in the day. Kazakhstan is a strategic partner to Hungary as the largest and strongest country in central Asia and as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, Szijjarto told a press conference after the meeting. Kazakhstan also has substantial energy resources, he said.

Abdrakmanov said Kazakhstan sees Hungary as a strategic partner and a close ally.

He named the energy industry, agriculture, logistics and tourism as particularly promising fields of cooperation.

The ministers signed a cooperation agreement for the years 2018-2019.

Featured image: MTI

Source: MTI