At a joint press conference with his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, Peter Szijjarto said that the two countries are celebrating the 60th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations this year and are also working to strengthen their ties. As part of this effort, they signed an agreement earlier in the day on visa exemption for holders of diplomatic passports.
"We both believe in the importance of dialogue. We also believe that mutual respect should be the foundation of international politics. And we believe that the judgment, lecturing, cornering, and criticizing of each other—which in recent years has become the basis of international relations—has led to serious global political problems," he stated.
We both think that respect for sovereignty should once again form the basis of international politics, instead of interfering in each other’s internal affairs. Instead of dividing the world into new blocs, we should promote connectivity,
he added.
He also announced that an agreement on cooperation in the fields of culture and archaeology has been signed. In this context, he said both countries have a rich historical and cultural heritage that they are proud of and do not want to give up.
Both countries have made serious sacrifices to ensure independence and sovereignty, and they remain committed to these principles,
he underlined.
Peter Szijjarto stressed that both Hungary and Pakistan face significant security challenges in their respective regions. He highlighted that despite international efforts, the threat of terrorism in Afghanistan remains strong, posing a risk of new flows of illegal migration toward Europe. For this reason, Hungary greatly values Pakistan’s counter-terrorism efforts.
We also highly appreciate Pakistan’s stand for peace. Let me say that both countries are proud to be members of the global peace camp,
he stated.
It astonishing to see that some European politicians are seeking to undermine the success of negotiations for peace in Ukraine and are choosing to prolong the war instead. It is shocking to see that while the whole world, including America, Asia, and Africa, is on the side of restoring peace in Europe, European politicians are working against it, he continued.
This is unacceptable, and we call on European politicians not to undermine President Donald Trump’s peace efforts,
he added.
The Hungarian foreign minister went on to say that the European Union needs reliable partners, and Pakistan is one of them. That’s why Hungary supports extending the GSP+ system beyond 2027, which provides tariff-free trade between the two parties.
I believe this is in our mutual interest. Unfortunately, the European Union has become too isolated, [...] but I hope this won’t last forever,
he said.
Finally, he touched on bilateral relations and welcomed the fact that the value of trade has already doubled this year, and that several Hungarian companies have successfully launched projects in the Pakistani market.
He also noted that the Hungarian government has implemented sixteen humanitarian programs to support Christian communities in the South Asian country. In addition, he stated that 400 Pakistani students per year can study at Hungarian universities on scholarships.
Cover photo: Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto at a joint press conference with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Budapest on April 16, 2025 (Photo: MTI/Tamas Purger)
