Hungary has gained a lot by strengthening Uzbek relations together with Central Asian co-operation, the foreign and foreign affairs minister said in Budapest on Wednesday after receiving Uzbekistan’s deputy prime minister, Sardor Umurzakov.
Péter Szijjártó announced that the cooperation between the two countries in nuclear energy opens up the possibility of technology exports of $ 300 million, and a seed production plant and a vegetable oil factory will also be built in Uzbekistan from Hungarian sources.
The University of Debrecen is setting up its own campus in the Central Asian country, from where 100 scholarship students can come to Hungary.
In the opinion of the head of the ministry, the Hungarian-Uzbek relations best show the benefits of the Central Asian co-operation. The trade turnover between the two states exceeded the $ 100 million threshold last year, despite difficulties, an increase of more than 30 percent over the previous year. The pharmaceutical industry has gained a lot in particular thanks to the fact that the Uzbek government has simplified the licensing of Hungarian products, he added.
The Minister praised Uzbekistan’s involvement in the fight against international terrorism and extremist ideologies. That is why Hungary wants the EU to conclude a strengthened partnership and cooperation agreement with the Central Asian country as soon as possible, he said.
Péter Szijjártó believes that the crisis has further enhanced international cooperation, as the countries that have developed a diversified system of relations can deal with the crisis most effectively. In recent years, Hungary has also found partners in areas to which the former foreign administration has paid less attention, although their economic growth is among the fastest, the head of the ministry pointed out the importance of relations with Central Asia.
According to the Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister, bilateral relations are characterized by speed and dynamism. Sardor Umurzakov said that based on the current discussions, 76 new opportunities for cooperation between the two countries could be opened in addition to the previous ones. Hungary and Uzbekistan have a lot in common in their past, and their future can be connected thanks to the strengthened economic, scientific, cultural and educational cooperation, he added.
debreceninap.hu
