Szijjarto: Free trade agreement talks must be accelerated

The new European Commission will be expected to speed up talks on free trade agreements, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said during a break in the meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Brussels on Thursday. Hungary's interest lies in keeping the global economy as open as possible and having fewer duties and other barriers, restrictions and sanctions in force, he said. "The fewer the better for us." Another expectation from the new EC in Brussels is that it should not mix economic and trade issues with political matters, Szijjarto said. "Free trade agreements must not be used as means to teach lessons because that has always resulted in failure," he added. The EC should restart stalled free trade talks without delay with the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, he said. It is nonsensical that some agreements have not been signed for some ten years, he added.