Kazakh-Hungarian relations discussed in Budapest
Kairat Abdrakhmanov held talks with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó. "Kazakhstan traditionally regards Hungary as a strategic partner and ally in the region of Central and Eastern Europe. These relations are reinforced by the trust-based ties between President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, as well as close contacts between our governments," the Kazakh minister told the meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary.
Kairat Abdrakhmanov and Péter Szijjártó signed the 2018-2019 Action Plan between the foreign ministries of the two countries. The Plan contains the arrangements for high-level visits, promotion of parliamentary diplomacy, the next meeting of the Kazakh-Hungarian Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation in the second half of 2018, and meetings of the Business Council, chambers of commerce and industry, and inter-agency working groups. It is also planned to hold in Budapest a meeting of the Intergovernmental Сommission on Combating Organized Crime, Terrorism, Illegal Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. The sides will promote cooperation between universities and research institutes, and facilitate the organization of concerts, exhibitions, festivals, and expeditions. Besides, the ministers signed the Protocol on the Introduction of Amendments to the Agreement on the Mutual Visa Exemption Procedure for Citizens-Holders of Diplomatic and Service Passports: now the holders of such passports can freely visit two countries for up to 90 days.
At Mr. Szijjártó's invitation, the Kazakh Foreign Minister addressed an extended meeting of the Board of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade attended by ambassadors and consuls general, who arrived in Budapest from across the globe. It is a unique experience in diplomatic practice as a board meeting is an internal meeting of the Foreign Ministry, and points to the fact of growing strategic ties between Astana and Budapest. In his speech, Kairat Abdrakhmanov underlined the historical commonness of the two countries and told about the present stage of Kazakhstan's development. The Foreign Minister greatly emphasized the promotion of Nursultan Nazarbayev's economic diplomacy - attracting the best practices, knowledge, technologies, and investments into Kazakhstan's economy, regional economic integration, development of the transit and transport corridors between Europe and Asia.
The same day Kairat Abdrakhmanov and Hungarian Minister of National Economy Mihály Varga co-chaired the second session of the Kazakh-Hungarian Strategic Council. The agenda of the session included issues of cooperation in energy, agriculture, education, health, tourism, construction, innovations, and the use of the transport and logistics potential of the two countries. The Strategic Council was established in 2014 in the furtherance of the Declaration of Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
"Last year Kazakhstan and Hungary celebrated the 25th Anniversary of diplomatic relations. What we are talking about today covers more than diplomatic relations as we closely cooperate in terms of economy, culture, health, and tourism. As a result of the financial and economic crisis, the two-way trade turnover has declined. However, we now see an increase in the trade and economic relations owing to the Astana Expo 2017 exhibition, during which Hungarian entrepreneurs had an opportunity to establish partnership ties," the Hungarian minister said. Mr. Varga proposed to establish a partnership in the area of digitalization, in particular, training of personnel, the digitization in industry and services sectors.
The participants highly appreciated the activities of the Kazakh-Hungarian Direct Investment Fund that finances projects for the construction of a greenhouse complex in Aktobe region and the modernization of a dairy farm in Akmola region. Currently, the project for the cultivation and processing of apples in Zhambyl region is under approval. Based on this example of successful partnership, the Kazakh minister called on his Hungarian counterparts for more active cooperation. According to Council members, a crucial achievement was the successful direct flight service launched between Budapest and Astana in 2017.
The Minister also thanked the Government of Hungary for the annual allocation of 200 educational grants to Kazakh students. Later, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó announced Hungary's intention to increase the number of grants up to 250.
Last year, the trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Hungary totaled $156.4 million ($39.2 million of exports, $ 117.2 million of imports). In Kazakhstan, there are over 50 joint ventures invested by Hungary.
During the official visit to Budapest, Kairat Abdrakhmanov also addressed the opening of the Forum of Rectors of Kazakhstan and Hungary, visited a concert by the Kazakh National University of Arts, and met with Kazakh students. The Master's and PhD's degree students expressed gratitude to Head of State Nursultan Nazarbayev for the opportunities created for young people to study at the world's top universities. They made a number of proposals as to the improvement of educational programs, coordination of Kazakh student community abroad, and employment of graduates.