“A rational and even-tempered approach is required with regard to Turkey in the current situation because Europe’s stability begins with Turkey”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó told reporters in the recess of a meeting of European Union foreign and defence ministers in Brussels.

Mr. Szijjártó said that through the migration agreement between the European Union and Turkey the EU has placed the security and stability of Europe in the hands of Ankara.

“Non-conformance or termination of the agreement could cause serious difficulties for Europe, and accordingly it is Hungary’s opinion that care should be taken when voicing criticism, because a lapse in Turkish stability could lead to a reduction in European security”, the Foreign Minister highlighted.

He also stated with reference to the Eastern Partnership that the credibility of the European Union is on the line, because the EU is not fulfilling all of its promises according to the agreement.

“These include the visa-free travel promised to Georgia and Ukraine, all conditions of which have been fulfilled by both countries, just as Ukraine has also implemented all of the measures set as requirements for the signing of a free trade agreement”, he added.

“It is ‘unfair and unsportsmanlike’ that EU institutions are setting certain member states conditions of which there was no mention when negotiations began”, the Minister said.
“Countries that are prepared to step onto and follow the path of European or Euro-Atlantic integration must be given assistance”, he stressed.

Mr. Szijjártó told reporters that the Ministers had initiated the commencement of talks between the European Union and Egypt, in view of the fact that the stability of Egypt effects Europe. The countries of the Visegrád Group agreed to hold a meeting on 20 December with the participation of the Egyptian Foreign Minister, he added.

Providing details of the summit, Mr. Szijjártó said with relation to the implementation plan concerning the security and defence section of the European Union’s global strategy that the principle aimed at preventing illegal immigration that Hungary has been voicing for so long had been successfully included in the text of the document, which is awaiting adoption.

“Hungary believes that there can be no security strategy without stopping the wave of immigration, because immigration represents the number one security threat to Europe. Uncontrolled immigration means an increased threat of terrorism and could cause instability”, he declared.

In reply to a question from reporters, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade stressed that the system for distributing refugees among member states according to mandatory quotas cannot work because it sends the wrong message. “The message it sends to immigrants is that they are free to come to Europe because they will be afforded a place by a distribution mechanism”, he added.

“In contrast, in Hungary’s opinion Europe should be concentrating on reducing the pressure caused by the flow of immigration”, he said. “Hungary will not accept the distribution of refugees according to quotas in any form”, the Hungarian Foreign Minister said.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)