(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 31. The visit of
President Ilham Aliyev to Hungary is the next strategic step of the
country's political leadership. Having established itself as a
reliable partner in various fields, and in the energy sector in
particular, Azerbaijan continues to be at the spotlight in the
international arena, and becomes an increasingly attractive partner
for its European colleagues. In this regard, Hungary is far from
the first European country to seek support from Azerbaijan.
The purpose of the visit is to promote the further development
of high-level relations between the two countries and strengthen
cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
During an expanded meeting with Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor
Orban in Budapest President Ilham Aliyev noted that
Azerbaijani-Hungarian relations already have a good history of
mutual support, trust, partnership and friendship.
'And this is really a big asset. Therefore, now when we explore
new areas of cooperation, we already have, how to say, a very solid
foundation for our partnership,' President Ilham Aliyev said.
Hungary attaches great importance to energy cooperation with
Azerbaijan. The country supports the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC)
project and has expressed interest in joining it. The Hungarian
side is usually present at annual meetings of the SGC Advisory
Council. Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter
Szijjarto is expected to attend the annual meeting of the SGC
Advisory Council, which will be held in Baku on February 3,
2023.
Cooperation between the two countries in the fields of
transport, transit and logistics is successfully developing. To
this end, a MoU was signed in 2022 between the Alat Free Economic
Zone and the Hungarian Export Promotion Agency. At the same time,
the Hungarian Wizz Air low-cost airlines operate direct flights
between Baku and Budapest.
Hungarian companies also show great interest in participating in
the reconstruction works carried out in the liberated lands of
Azerbaijan, and have presented relevant projects in this regard.
Hungary has also donated 25,000 euros as a voluntary contribution
to support mine clearance activities in the liberated
territories.
Moreover, a significant increase in the volume of trade turnover
between the two countries in such a short period is a clear
confirmation of the high level of cooperation. For instance, in
2021, the total trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Hungary
amounted to $35.16 million. In 2022, this figure amounted to $47.4
million, which means an increase of 34.81 percent year-on-year.
During the visit of President Ilham Aliyev to Budapest, a number
of significant documents aimed at boosting cooperation between the
two countries have been signed. Among them are Declaration on
expansion of strategic partnership, a MoU on cooperation in the
field of migration, a MoU on cooperation in the field of natural
gas, a MoU on cooperation in space studies and space activities for
peaceful purposes, as well as a MoU on the establishment of
friendly relations and cooperation in the field of culture,
tourism, urban planning, science, economy, and other spheres of
public life.
The development of cooperation in the energy sector became one
of the main topics of discussion during the visit of President
Ilham Aliyev. Hungary acknowledges the important role Azerbaijan
plays in ensuring the energy security of Europe.
The agreement signed in December last year between Azerbaijan,
Georgia, Hungary and Romania, according to which the electric cable
will be extended under the Black Sea to bring green energy from
Azerbaijan to Europe, is another pillar in this broad
cooperation.
As President Ilham Aliyev said, making a press statement
following the meeting with Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban,
'the recently discovered tremendous green energy potential has also
enhanced the importance of Azerbaijan. Of course, projects related
to green energy and the already implemented ones will bring us
closer to Europe'.
The visit of President Ilham Aliyev to Hungary is a vivid
evidence of the comprehensive and progressive development of the
Azerbaijani-Hungarian strategic partnership, which, thus, will open
a new page in the relations between the two countries.
This visit shows that Azerbaijan, which, effectively using its
economic and geostrategic advantages, has entered a stage of
development and has become the leading country in the South
Caucasus, thus, attracting more and more partners to cooperate.