On Thursday Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó told public television channel M1 that the Syrian conflict and international cooperation to combat terrorism would be among the items on the agenda in the meeting between UK Prime Minister David Cameron and Viktor Orbán.

He said that an important common element in the relationship between Hungary and the United Kingdom is that both within NATO and outside it the two countries are “jointly fighting against terrorism” – including that promoted by the terrorist organisation Islamic State.

The Minister also pointed out that there are no issues which would cause difficulties in the relationship between the two countries: the United Kingdom is an important economic and trade partner for Hungary.

Mr. Szijjártó said that, relative to its significance, little is said of British-Hungarian cooperation. As an example, he mentioned that there are a substantial number of British companies in Hungary, employing tens of thousands of people.

Answering a question concerning the reforms the UK requires from the EU, Mr. Szijjártó said that it can by no means regarded as blackmail if an EU Member State formulates proposals that in its view will lead to the strengthening of the EU and the improvement of its situation.

Another issue raised in the interview was the previous day’s private visit by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to Poland, where he met the governing party’s president Jarosław Kaczyński. Mr. Szijjártó said that the Polish minister of foreign affairs will shortly visit Hungary, and an official bilateral meeting of the prime ministers will be held at the beginning of February. The Minister said that extremely dynamic cooperation within Hungarian-Polish relations is expected in the future.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade/MTI)