ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and President of Hungary Tamás Sulyok highlighted priority areas to strengthen multilateral cooperation between their nations during a Nov. 20 meeting in Budapest.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Tamás Sulyok. Photo credit: Akorda
Held in the format of a working lunch, the meeting covered a wide range of topics related to the Kazakh-Hungarian strategic partnership.
Tokayev noted that after three decades of diplomatic relations, the two countries have established a trustworthy political dialogue, strong economic cooperation, and close cultural and humanitarian ties.
“Based on common history and culture, Kazakhstan and Hungary have created strong bilateral relations. The first embassy of Kazakhstan in Europe was opened 30 years ago in Budapest. We have great potential for developing effective cooperation. Hungary was one of the first states to recognize Kazakhstan’s independence. My state visit to Budapest clearly reflects our mutual desire to deepen multifaceted cooperation,” said Tokayev.
The Kazakh President underlined the importance of expanding trade, economic and investment ties. He emphasized that Kazakhstan and Hungary share mutual interests in developing sectors such as energy, transport, logistics, metallurgy, renewable energy, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and the food industry, among others.
Sulyok noted that despite the geographical distance, the peoples of the two countries share common historical roots and aspirations.
“Kazakhstan is located at the crossroads of the ancient Silk Road. Your country is a leader in economic development in Central Asia. Maintaining friendly relations between peoples is an important priority for Kazakhstan. You make a significant contribution to maintaining peace and stability. Today, Hungary and Kazakhstan are making every effort to strengthen multifaceted cooperation. Cultural relations between our peoples go back centuries. Hungarians are well acquainted with the traditions of Kazakh life. The name of the city of Almaty resonates warmly in our native language, as ‘alma’ in Hungarian also means apple,” said Sulyok.
During the meeting, the Presidents emphasized the need to intensify academic and scientific exchanges between leading universities in Kazakhstan and Hungary. They also exchanged views on pressing international issues, and discussed cooperation within multilateral frameworks.
