An agreement has been reached to elevate the level of strategic cooperation between Hungary and Qatar. Accordingly, the two countries are jointly seeking answers to the most pressing challenges of the present time, stated Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó in Budapest on Monday, 21 August.
Following the Hungarian-Qatari summit, the minister reported that the two countries agreed on strategic cooperation on specific issues, with the most important areas being energy, agriculture, and water management. Péter Szijjártó and his Qatari counterpart also signed agreements on environmental protection and diplomatic training cooperation.
‘So, in practice, we are jointly seeking answers to the most important challenges of the present time, and cooperation with Qatar helps us successfully find solutions to the challenges that put pressure on us,’ he expressed. ‘Both Qatar and Hungary have continuously faced and continue to face the completely unscrupulous and unfounded attacks of the international liberal mainstream in recent years,’ he added. ‘Both countries know exactly what it’s like to face external pressure as patriotic governments focused on asserting national interests, so there is a fundamental, natural mutual understanding between us,’ he noted. ‘Both the Qatari and Hungarian governments believe in a dialogue based on mutual respect, and our foreign policy strategy is also based on mutual respect, in addition to the desire for peace,’ Szijjártó stated.
Péter Szijjártó pointed out that the parties agree that achieving peace in Ukraine is only possible through negotiations, thus it is necessary to maintain communication channels. ‘The solution is not on the battlefield, there are casualties on the battlefield, the solution is at the negotiating table,’ he emphasised. He then highlighted that Qatar has made efforts towards peace in several armed conflicts in recent years within the framework of the United Nations and other international organisations, and
Hungary has consistently supported these efforts and will continue to do so.
He emphasised that the initiative focusing on the peace-promoting role of sports is particularly sympathetic, especially with the Budapest Athletics World Championships being held in Budapest. He stressed that mutual respect and cooperation between nations are important foundations and tools of sport.
The minister then addressed energy security, emphasising that this is a crisis area in Europe, therefore new sources need to be involved. However, he reminded that Qatar is the world’s number one LNG exporter, and although its capacities are currently tied up, from 2027, based on a political agreement, liquefied natural gas from the Middle Eastern country can also be supplied to Hungary. ‘Our trading companies have already started technical negotiations on the quantity and route for the possibility of including liquefied natural gas from Qatar in terms of the security of our supply from 2027,’ he said.
He also added that important agreements have been reached in the fields of agriculture and water management, which are two areas where Hungarian technology is world-class and there is high demand for them in the Gulf region.
‘Our cooperation at the United Nations will be further strengthened, we support Qatar’s candidacies, and we can expect similar support from Qatar in the most important international organisations,’ he emphasised.
‘I believe that it was a great honour for our country that so many and so significant world leaders honoured our 20 August celebration with their presence. This is a recognition that Hungary does indeed matter in international politics,’ he concluded.
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Source: Hungarian Conservative/MTI
