MINSK, 10 September (BelTA) – The visit to Minsk by Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó shows that there are forces and leaders in Europe who assess the situation objectively, BelTA learned from Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxim Ryzhenkov.
“The visit of the Hungarian minister of foreign affairs and trade to Belarus once again shows that there are forces in Europe and, most importantly, leaders who assess the situation objectively and understand that a high governmental position demands acting solely in the interests of their own state and their own people. Confrontation, pressure, and escalation cannot produce anything good,” the Belarusian foreign emphasized.
The minister assured that Belarus has always been committed to dialogue and mutual respect with its partners and will remain so. “We see that our Hungarian friends appreciate this. We also highly appreciate our Hungarian friends’ stance on the present situation in Belarus,” Maxim Ryzhenkov said, adding that this would continue in the future.
At the same time, the foreign minister noted that Belarus has maintained a very good pace in its bilateral agenda with Hungary for two years now. This applies both to contacts at the political level and to trade and economic interaction.
“We communicate openly, sincerely, and honestly on many tracks, as we are united by common goals and intentions – to do everything possible for the benefit of our peoples and without detriment to others. Belarus and Hungary pursue an independent foreign policy based on national interests and mutual respect,” Maxim Ryzhenkov stated.
According to him, Belarus seeks to advance cooperation both with all countries in the East and with friends in the West. “I would also like to note that Belarus has strategic ties with Russia and China, has access to the huge EAEU market, has recently become a full member of the SCO and a partner of BRICS. We are ready to promote the interests of our friends from Hungary within these organizations as well,” Maxim Ryzhenkov assured.
The foreign minister expressed hope that Hungary’s current policy of creation and bridge-building, rather than destruction, will in time be embraced by other European nations.
“In Belarusian-Hungarian interaction, we prioritize constructive dialogue and steady, systematic work for the benefit of people, I will emphasize this once again. It is for this purpose that another meeting of our intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation and a business forum were held today. As a result of these events, a whole range of agreements on promoting cooperation between our countries in certain areas will be reached,” Maxim Ryzhenkov said.
The Belarusian foreign minister pointed out that these results were preceded by serious work from both sides. Experts have identified steps for interaction in the near future. This involves such areas as energy, agriculture, industry, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, sports, and tourism. “We plan to expand practical cooperation in these areas. We have to take into account the sanctions against Belarus, yet, the broad participation of Hungarian representatives in today’s business forum demonstrates that these baseless restrictions lack any support from both businesses and the public. Even under these conditions, we find opportunities to develop our relations and implement bilateral projects,” Maxim Ryzhenkov said.
The foreign minister stated that Belarus and Hungary remain the only European countries that are truly committed to the policy of a free market, equitable conditions, and the principles of true partnership.
“I will note that the leadership of Hungary and Belarus build their policies based on the interests of the majority of their population, instead of orders from outside. And we respect our Hungarian partners and friends for this position,” he concluded.
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