“Our countries did not start this important friendship now. We started it a long time ago. You are our friend not only because of energy. I imagine you have new friends now because the strategic importance of your country in the world is growing. However, our cooperation began a long time ago and is based not only on interests, but also on cooperation in the field of culture and traditions,” Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban said at an expanded meeting with President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in Budapest, as quoted by the press service of President Aliyev.
Expressing his appreciation of the Azerbaijani President’s support for Hungary joining the Organization of Turkic States, the Prime Minister said: “Hungary as a Turkic-speaking country is a country participating in that platform, and this is important for us not only from a cultural but also from a political point of view.”
Viktor Orban thanked President Ilham Aliyev for the visit and said that Hungary values the deep cooperation established between the two countries in the past and looks forward to continuing it in the future.
“The meetings held between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Hungary are always of exceptional importance. Mr. President and I have been working together for more than 10 years now to bring our two countries closer together, expand cooperation and bring it to the level corresponding to the position of the two countries,” Orban said.
Noting that the discussions held with the President of Azerbaijan pertained to strategic issues, the Prime Minister stressed that Azerbaijan-Hungry strategic cooperation had been raised to the next level.
“The current environment in international relations is more dangerous than it was before. The war in our neighborhood and the sanctions imposed by Brussels have created a very dangerous situation for Hungary, for our energy security, and the energy security of Europe has entered a sensitive period. These new conditions have immediately enhanced the importance of Azerbaijan. The significance of this country has made a kind of a leap forward. Azerbaijan has always been our friend, and now it is a strategic partner for the whole of Europe,” Viktor Orban added.
