FM Szijjártó: Hungary sees the Organization of Turkic States as a “forum for peace”
Trade between OTS countries and Hungary has hit EUR 4.5 billion in 12 years.
Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó stressed at a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) that Hungary sees them as a “forum for peace,” where everyone wants a diplomatic solution to the conflict and the common goal is an immediate ceasefire and the start of peace talks.
He added that Turkey was the only actor to have successfully mediated between Ukraine and Russia so far; the agreement to resume grain deliveries showed that even in the most desperate situations, some progress towards peace can be made.
Hungary intends to step up its participation in the group, with the government opening embassies in all member states and Hungarian universities hosting 990 scholarship students from the six countries each year, added.
Szijjártó said that over the past 12 years, trade between the OTS countries and Hungary has increased 2.5-fold, reaching EUR 4.5 billion, and Hungary is ready to further strengthen cooperation.
The minister said that the Hungarian government would continue to represent national interests in the ninth package of sanctions already being prepared in Brussels, and would not allow the Hungarians to unfairly pay the price of war.
At the meeting, a cooperation agreement was signed between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Organization of Turkic States to establish the Institute for Drought Prevention in Budapest.
Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey and Uzbekistan are members of OTS, with Hungary and Turkmenistan joining as observers.
