Orbán told Qatari journalists on Tuesday that the World Cup in Qatar had not only been spectacular but exciting too. Qatar, he added, spent money “to host the whole world”, and he praised the way the event had been organised.

The prime minister noted the significance of the World Cup being held in an Arab country. “If in Rome, do as the Romans do,” he said, and it was good that guests were expected to respect the local customs and way of thinking. This, he added, was important both in the context of football and in terms of obtaining a different outlook on life.

Orbán on Tuesday held talks with Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, his Qatari counterpart, before attending the World Cup semi-final between Argentina and Croatia at the invitation of FIFA, the PM’s press chief told MTI.

Hungary to Start LNG Supply Talks with Qatar

Hungary and Qatar have reached an agreement paving the way for talks on future gas purchases between state-owned energy company MVM and QatarEnergy, the minister of foreign affairs and trade said in Doha.

The aim is for Hungary to be able to take into account deliveries of Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) when it comes to guaranteeing the country’s gas supply, Péter Szijjártó said after talks with Qatar’s energy and foreign ministers, according to a foreign ministry statement.

Urging the inclusion of more energy sources, Szijjártó noted that Qatar has the world’s third largest gas reserves and is the second biggest LNG exporter.

Qatar is also developing its extraction and delivery capacities, he added. Concerning Wednesday’s agreement, Szijjártó also highlighted the role of the European Union, saying infrastructure developments will be needed in order to bring large volumes of natural gas to Hungary via the southern and south-eastern European LNG terminals.

If Croatia expands the capacity of its LNG terminal as it has promised, there will be a realistic possibility for Hungary to receive gas from Qatar within about three years, he said.

Hungary and Qatar also finalised an investment protection agreement, which could be key in attracting Qatari investments to Hungary, he added.

Szijjártó: Hungary-Qatar Cooperation Based on Mutual Respect

Cooperation between Hungary and Qatar has always been based on mutual respect, and there is no political obstacle to further boosting bilateral ties, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said after talks with Qatar’s energy and foreign ministers in Doha on Wednesday.

Szijjártó underlined the importance of maintaining good relations with countries that have an impact on the entire global economy amid the current economic difficulties, noting that Qatar was one such country.

Bilateral trade turnover reached a record 60 million US dollars last year and has continued to rise this year, he added. Szijjártó welcomed the direct air link between Budapest and Doha, noting that the tourism industry was in great need of increased tourist numbers.

He highlighted the economic importance of the EU having strengthened its ties with the Gulf countries, saying this needed to be based on mutual respect.

Meanwhile, he said Hungary and Qatar shared the same position on the war in Ukraine, noting that both countries condemned the conflict and wanted peace. And peace can only be achieved through negotiation, for which communication channels must be left open, he added.