“Reinforcing Hungarian-Kyrgyz relations is important, just as it is important for Central Europe to be able to cooperate effectively with Central Asia”, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s State Secretary for Information and the International Representation of Hungary Tamás Menczer said in Bishkek, where he held talks with Kyrgyz Economy Minister Sanzhar Mukanbetov and Deputy Foreign Minister Azizbek Madmarov, and took part in the founding session of the Hungary-Kyrgyz Joint Economic Committee as Co-Chair.

“The world has changed: capital, knowledge and innovation no longer flow exclusively from West to East, but also in the opposite direction”, Mr. Menczer emphasised.

He pointed out that Hungary has observer status in the Turkic Council, and the foreign ministers of the countries involved opened the organisation’s European representation in Budapest last week.

“Hungary wishes to by physically present in every member state of the Turkic Council, and accordingly it will be opening a consular office in Bishkek”, he announced.

The State Secretary explained that Hungary supports cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and the European Union, and between the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union.

“Together with Kyrgyzstan, we have identified the most important areas of possible cooperation; these are water management, environmental protection, healthcare, the pharmaceutical industry and agriculture”, Mr. Menczer said.

“Cooperation between East and West is in the fundamental interests of Central Europe, and within it, Hungary”, he stated.

“In addition, these Central Asian countries fully understand what it means when the Hungarians talk about the importance of sovereignty, traditions and culture, and their preservation”, the State Secretary said.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade/MTI)