Hungary, Jordan parl speakers discuss bilateral ties
(MTI) – Fast-developing trade relations and the Middle East situation were among topics discussed at a meeting between Atef Tarawneh, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Jordan, and Prime Minister Viktor Orban, on Monday.
Tarawneh said Hungary was a stable European country which was considered a gateway for trade to the west in the Arab world.
The sides acknowledged that Hungarian exports to Jordan grew by 50 percent in the first quarter of 2014 and economic relations were set to further develop in tourism and energy, Bertalan Havasi, the head of the prime minister’s press office, said.
Orban and Tarawneh stated in agreement that terrorism did not know borders and a fight against it was a fundamental interest of the international community, Havasi added.
Earlier in the day Tarawneh met Speaker of Hungarian Parliament Laszlo Kover.
The Hungarian government’s strategy of opening towards the east launched four years ago affords a partnership role to Jordan, Kover said after their meeting in parliament.
Hungary and Jordan last exchanged visits at house speaker level ten years ago, which makes Tarawneh’s current visit distinguished, he told a press conference.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s visit to Jordan last year boosted bilateral relations, and concluded with the signing of several cooperation agreements, Kover said. He added that it is hoped the King of Jordan as well as the prime minister and foreign minister would accept an open invitation for a visit to Hungary, too.
Kover said an important task was to intensify ties between the two countries’ parliaments, mainly through the support of friendship chapters and expert committees. He noted that one of the largest friendship chapters in the Hungarian parliament was the Jordan-Hungary chapter.
Hungary will be able to share its experiences of the past four years with Jordan, where “carefully weighed and comprehensive” reforms are under way. Jordan offers an island of “balance, stability and predictability” in a conflict-riddled region and this is invaluable to all its partners including Hungary, Kover said, adding that this enables the growth of economic ties.
Investors from Jordan are interested in Hungary and regard the country as a gateway to central Europe and the European Union, Kover added.
Tarawneh said Jordan was proud to have friendly relations with Hungary and would work to maintain and further develop these ties in future.
He said that he had met President Janos Ader earlier in the day and discussed drawing on Hungarian experiences from the period of transition, as well as other bilateral issues.
Photo: MTI/Prime Minister’s Office
Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters
