A solution may be reached in Syria if the United States and Russia come to an agreement, and therefore an imbalanced European solution that unilaterally condemns Russia would not favour the resolution of the conflict in Syria, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó told the Hungarian News Agency MTI by telephone before the Luxembourg meeting of the Foreign Ministers of EU Member States.

Mr Szijjártó said that some of the Member States are expected to argue in favour of sanctions against Russia at the debate on Syria at the meeting of Foreign Ministers. Hungary, however, takes the view that if the European Union unilaterally condemns Russia, an imbalanced European solution would not favour the resolution of the conflict.

Hungary takes the view that the EU should firmly condemn the activities of the terrorist organisations as well, and should approve a text which does not deteriorate the situation, but permits the coming into being of an agreement between the Americans and the Russians, he underlined.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade is of the opinion that a major debate is expected at the meeting as to whether the Council of Ministers should approve the chapter of the European Union’s global strategy concerned with European defence and security, or should merely refer back to the decision of the European Council which welcomed the introduction of the strategy.

Hungary supports the latter because it finds the text unacceptable on account of its passages related to immigration which argue that the processes of legal immigration must be reinforced, and the proposal advances the outcome of the review of the Dublin regime, Mr Szijjártó said.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade/MTI)