Hungarian FM Szijjártó meets Egyptian FM in Cairo

“It is an absurd situation that while Hungary and Egypt are fighting together for peace in Europe and to stop illegal migration, Brussels is pursuing an irresponsible policy and making increasingly serious mistakes,” Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said in Cairo on Thursday.

Szijjártó meets Egyptian counterpart

Following talks with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelati, Szijjártó noted that both central Europe and the Middle East were facing major challenges and the security of the two regions is more closely linked than ever before, according to a statement issued by his ministry.

“This is a very absurd situation. Apart from Brussels and the pro-war European leaders, practically the whole world wants peace in Europe. The US president is making serious efforts to bring back peace in Europe. (…) This is also supported by African countries that are faced by the negative impact of the war. In contrast, Brussels and the pro-war European leaders are trying to undermine this,” he said.

There is a similarly absurd situation with migration, Szijjártó said. While it has been proven in the past decade that illegal migration poses a great danger to Europe’s security, future and identity, Brussels encourages and supports illegal migration while Egypt, as the main bastion of the North African defence line, is keeping the influx of people at bay.

He expressed his thanks to Cairo for its firm action against terrorist groups, people smuggling networks and extremist ideologies, and for not allowing the masses of illegal immigrants to Europe.

Szijjártó called on Brussels to stop obstructing the peace negotiations and supporting migration, and to appreciate Egypt’s role in maintaining European security.

Szijjártó Egypt
Photo: Facebook / Szijjártó Péter

“We call on the European institutions to give Egypt the promised four billion euros of aid without delay, and not to set artificial political and ideological conditions for the payments,” he said.

He also gave thanks to Cairo for its assistance in evacuating Hungarians living in the Gaza Strip after the outbreak of fighting, and for its work in freeing hostages held by Hamas.

“There is still one Hungarian hostage, hopefully alive, and we are praying for his return home to this day, and we hope that a situation can be created here in the Middle East as soon as possible, where the kidnapped hostages can all return home to their families,” the minister said.

Hungarian, Egyptian business leaders meet at forum in Cairo

Hungarian and Egyptian business leaders met at a forum in Cairo on Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in a statement on Thursday.

Opening the forum, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said 21 executives of Hungarian companies in the farming, food, construction, ICT and water management sectors, had travelled in his delegation to Cairo. He added that talks had already started on a project to produce secure personal IDs, and on the involvement of Hungarian companies in food industry and water management developments.

He noted that Hungary was supplying carriages to Egypt’s national railway company in a EUR 1.1bn order, and Hungary’s 4iG was set to lay a submarine data cable connecting Egypt and Europe.

He said a Hungarian-Egyptian consortium would build a EUR 700m gas-fueled power plant in Hungary, while talks were underway on using Hungarian technology for Egypt’s El Dabaa nuclear power plant.

Ten direct flights a week connect Hungary and Egypt, and there are over 700 Egyptian students enrolled at Hungarian universities, he added.

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