Hungarian universities are very popular among Kyrgyz students

Hungary attributes great importance to cooperation between the European Union and Central Asia, especially in the current period when the situation in Afghanistan causes unprecedented security challenges for the whole world, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Friday in Bishkek.

Szijjártó told a joint press conference with Kyrgyz counterpart Ruslan Kazakbayev that “perhaps never before has there been as much attention focused on Central Asia as today”. Possible reasons include global economic changes boosting the role of eastern regions and the failure of international intervention in Afghanistan, he added.

He slammed Brussels for “repeatedly making mistakes” and publishing irresponsible statements similar to 2015 which Szijjarto said increased “the danger of a new and ever-more serious migratory wave to develop”. During the time of the coronavirus pandemic, this poses not only security and civilisational threats but also serious health risks, he added.

He said it was a mistake that Brussels had not asked the opinion of Central Asian countries when it

encouraged them to accept a large number of Afghan refugees.

The Hungarian government shares the view of the region’s states that the crisis developed in Afgahnistan must be resolved within Afghanistan.

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Instead of accepting migrants, the EU should provide more resources to support border protection, Szijjarto said.

“It appears the European Commission and its leader still cannot understand the importance of border protection, so perhaps they should come to Central Asia for training and to see what the real world is about and what will happen if several hundred thousand or perhaps a million migrants from Afghanistan break in on Europe,” Szijjarto added.

He also said that good bilateral political cooperation with Kyrgyzstan had already yielded

concrete economic advantages for Hungary.

Kyrgyz-Hungarian trade increased by 56 percent this year and preparations are in a final stage for a direct flight between Budapest and Bishkek to be operated by Wizz Air. An agreement has been signed about the mutual acceptance of vaccination certificates, he added.

Ties in education are also important, with

483 Kyrgyz students having applied for 150 scholarships available in Hungary this year,

he said. Hungarian language training started in one of Kyrgyzstan’s largest state universities from October, he added.

Szijjártó also said that Hungary greatly appreciated Kyrgyzstan’s efforts for self-protection and for maintaining the region’s stability, which also contributes to Europe’s security. As a result, Hungary supports Kyrgyzstan’s application for membership in the United Nations Security Council, he added.

Szijjártó is attending the EU-Central Asia Economic Forum during the day.

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Source: MTI