Turkey, Hungary to Enhance Relations With 16 Agreements
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Salma Hossein
- . December 18, 2023
- . Update: December 18, 2023 4:18 pm
Marking the 100th anniversary of the Turkey-Hungary Friendship Agreement of 1923, the two countries are set to sign 16 agreements in various fields. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be in Budapest to enhance relations and discuss bilateral cooperation in trade, diplomacy and other areas.
Erdogan’s visit will also mark the sixth meeting of the Turkey-Hungary High Level Strategic Cooperation Council. An official statement said the Council Meeting will be held in Budapest under the chairmanship of the President and Prime Minister of Hungary.
“Turkey-Hungary relations at the strategic partnership level will be reviewed in all their dimensions, and steps that can be taken to further deepen the cooperation between the two countries will be discussed.”
Turkey, Hungary Strategic Partnership
The two countries will boost their strategic partnership to the level of enhanced strategic partnership. Turkey-Hungary relations, with the establishment of High Level Strategic Cooperation Council in 2013, reached the level of strategic partnership. They agreed to boost it to Enhanced Strategic Partnership level in 2023.
Sources say Erdogan’s visit will focus on cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, defense, culture and energy. The Turkish president will be accompanied by his ministers of foreign affairs, national defense, interior, trade, energy and natural resources, as well as industry and technology, and culture and tourism. Turkish ministries are in comprehensive cooperation with Hungary at all levels.
Earlier this year, the Turkish Petroleum Pipeline Corporation (BOTAS) and Hungarian public natural gas company MVM signed a natural gas export agreement, wherein Turkey will export natural gas to Hungary starting 2024. Moreover, Hungary has an observer status in the Organization of Turkic States (TDT). It wants to open up to the East to diversify its foreign policy.
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Turkey Hungary Culture Year
Gulsen Karanis Eksioglu, Turkey’s Ambassador to Budapest, said the 2024 Turkey-Hungary Culture Year will be launched within the scope of Erdogan’s meaningful visit. “We will raise our relations from the strategic partnership level to the enhanced strategic partnership level. Energy, economic and commercial relations, defense industry, and cultural fields stand out as priority areas for the development of cooperation.”
She said 2023 has been a year in which Turkey-Hungary bilateral relations gained momentum with mutual contacts and visits at the highest level. “This is the most concrete indicator of the importance we attach to our mutual relations.”
