The Gulf state is of key importance to Europe's energy security, according to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.Continue reading
Over the weekend, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani visited Hungary and held bilateral talks with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and President Katalin Novák. The Emir also visited the National Athletics Center, where he watched the Sunday evening races of the World Athletics Championships together with Viktor Orbán and other national leaders.
On Monday, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani visited the Parliament accompanied by Viktor Orbán. The Hungarian Prime Minister showed his guest around Kossuth Square, where the Parliament is located, leading him up the main staircase of the building to the Dome Hall, showing the Holy Crown and the coronation insignia.
Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (L) and Viktor Orbán taking a look at the Holy Crown in the Parliament. Photo: MTI/Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda/Benko Vivien Cher
Also on Monday, the Emir of Qatar was received by President Katalin Novák in her office at the the Sándor Palace.
The parties discussed cooperation opportunities between the two countries. Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani invited the President to Qatar, and she accepted the invitation.
Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (L) and Katalin Novák. Photo: MTI/Bruzák Noémi
After the Hungarian-Qatari summit, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó reported on the details. He said that an agreement had been reached to upgrade relations between Hungary and Qatar to the level of strategic cooperation, and that the two countries were jointly seeking answers to the main challenges of the present day.
The parties agreed on strategic cooperation, the most important areas of which are energy, agriculture and water management.
At the meeting, Péter Szijjártó and his Qatari counterpart signed a cooperation agreement on environmental protection and diplomatic training.
Both Qatar and Hungary know exactly what it is like to face external pressure as a patriotic government focused on national interests, so there is a basic natural mutual understanding between us,”
he highlighted. The Foreign Minister added that both governments believe in dialogue based on mutual respect, and both also want peace in the Ukrainian war.
The Minister referred to energy security, stressing that this is a crisis area in Europe and that new resources need to be mobilized. He recalled that
Qatar is the world’s number one exporter of LNG (liquified natural gas) and, although its capacities are currently tied up, from 2027, a political agreement will allow it to include LNG in its supply to Hungary.
He added that important agreements have also been reached in the fields of agriculture and water management, two areas where Hungarian technology is in high demand in the Gulf region.
Via MTI, Featured photo via MTI/Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda/Benko Vivien Cher