Szijjarto has talks in Belarus

Cooperation between East and West is in Hungary's interest in terms of security as well as for political and economic reasons, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told a press conference in Minsk, after talks with his counterpart Vladimir Makei on Monday. Szijjarto was also received by President Alexander Lukashenko. Central Europe is interested in an East-West cooperation based on "pragmatism, common sense and mutual respect". "We, Hungarians, do not urge that cooperation because it is in the interest of a larger power but because it is in our own interests," he insisted. Hungary is a member of the European Union, while Belarus belongs to the Eurasian Economic Union, which makes their cooperation even more important, Szijjarto said, adding that their bilateral relations could serve a sound basis for closer ties between the two groups.