There is no solution to resolving the conflict which constitutes the most significant source of the migrant crisis without pragmatic cooperation with Russia and without consultation with every party to the crisis in Syria, and there is consequently no solution to the immigration crisis without this either, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó told the Hungarian News Agency MTI on Wednesday in New York.

The Minister spoke about this before an open debate chaired by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov began within the framework of the session of the UN General Assembly in the Security Council regarding the settlement of the conflicts in the Middle-East and North-Africa and counter-terrorism. Mr Szijjártó also spoke at the forum.

“It is time to dispel naïve illusions; without pragmatic cooperation with Russia, there is no solution to the immigration crisis as Syria is one of the most significant sources of the flood of migration”, the Minister stated.

He pointed out that due to the civil war in Syria, millions are fleeing from the region, and therefore, in the interest of resolving the immigration crisis, it is necessary to stabilise the situation in Syria above all; however, this cannot be achieved without Russia. In his words, the Trans-Atlantic community must wake up and realise that it is necessary to cooperate with Moscow in order to resolve the conflict.

Mr Szijjártó stressed that all interested parties must be consulted in the interest of resolving the situation in Syria, and none of the parties to the conflict may be left out of this. “This is not yet about the sort of regime that there should be in Syria after the resolution of the conflict; we must take one step at a time as clearly the sweeping measures adopted to date have remained unsuccessful. We must therefore resolve the crisis in Syria step by step”, he said.

Mentioning the agreement on the restrictions on Iran’s nuclear programme as an example, the Minister said that the international community can only rise to major global challenges if every important actor undertakes to make a contribution. He reiterated that at the time of the negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear programme, the German, British, French, US, Russian and Chinese foreign ministers all sat on the same side of the table. As he pointed out, this is what is required in the case of Syria as well.

“At the same time, we must also make clear that crimes, acts of genocide and crusades committed against Christians in Syria and in the Middle-East cannot go without consequences. We therefore continue to urge that the International Criminal Court institute procedures in the case of all acts of genocide, crimes and the persecution of Christians in the Middle-East”, he said.

“We cannot leave these crimes unpunished”, he added.

(MTI/Prime Minister's Office)