“The world has changed a lot and this means Hungary’s foreign policy must change both institutionally and in its approach,” the minister, who entered office in late September, said.

The government has already carried out the biggest change, namely integrating the institutions overseeing external economic relations and cultural diplomacy into the foreign ministry’s structure, he said.

All institutional conditions are now in place for Hungary to achieve its goals of taking a leading position in the EU in terms of the export-GDP ratio and the contribution of industry to the national economy. Hungary can also now assume poll position in central Europe in terms of per capita direct foreign capital investment, he said.

Szijjártó said that Hungary should pursue a pragmatic foreign policy. No one blames the United States for maintaining close economic cooperation with China or any western European nation for fostering good ties with countries in the Far East, he said.

Yet cooperation between China and central Europe is a target of criticism even if China’s trade turnover with the 16 CEE countries falls short of its trade with Italy, he argued.

Szijjártó said it was regrettable that the South Stream gas pipeline project had been scrapped. Hungary now needs to find new sources to ensure the security of its energy supplies, he said, and reiterated that the Hungarian - Russian deal on upgrading the Paks nuclear power plant fully complied with the EU regulations, there would be no need for any EU interference.

Szijjártó said that one should not expect the policy of eastern opening to yield spectacular achievements overnight. He added, however, that Hungarian exports to China, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Turkey, Macedonia, Serbia, Egypt and Morocco had increased.

Opposition Together politician Nóra Hajdú said the government should stop its “rampage in foreign policy” seen over the past few months. The transformation outlined by Szijjártó should be stopped in its tracks in order to prevent “further failures” from narrowing Hungary’s room for manoeuvre in foreign policy.

She said Fidesz leaders had adopted a “shocking” tone in their recent statements about the United States. Hajdú insisted Szijjártó was not fit for the job of foreign minister and should resign.

Source www.hungarymatters.hu

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