Hungary FM on Foreign Policy Transformation: Era of Personal Friendships Has Arrived + Video

Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade was a guest on ATV, speaking with Egon Ronai in the program Egyenes beszed (Straight Talk). The conversation touched on the visit of U.S. State Secretary Marco Rubio, the energy agreements the Hungarian government concluded with the U.S. and the good relationship between Donald Trump and Viktor Orban, bolstering bilateral relations. Peter Szijjarto was also asked whether relations between two states can really depend so much on a personal dimension.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and U.S. President Donald Trump (Photo: AFP)

In the interview, Peter Szijjarto said that over the past ten years foreign policy and the world order have changed greatly. One important consequence of the emerging new world order, he added, is that whereas earlier international relations were governed primarily by international organizations, standards, and international law, today their importance has drastically declined. In his view, the importance of personal relationships has increased enormously.

Peter Szijjarto was a guest on ATV speaking with Egon Ronai in the program Egyenes beszed (Photo: MTI)

Today the personal relationship and friendship between national leaders carries unprecedented significance for cooperation between countries. This can be good or bad, one may lament or celebrate it, but this is the reality,

he said. He also noted that alliance systems are harder to maintain because the rising importance of bilateral relations elevates personal and national levels. He argued that it is much easier to enforce national intentions if the parties are on good terms rather than negotiating through alliance systems.

In response to host Egon Ronai's question whether if Peter Magyar were to take over the government after April 12, Hungarian-American relations could freeze, Peter Szijjarto replied that relations have never been better than now and that this is clearly based on the personal friendship between Donald Trump and Viktor Orban.

Obviously this personal friendship has a major impact on bilateral relations when Donald Trump is President and Viktor Orban is Prime Minister. I believe that if a change occurs on either side, relations would move to a different level,

said the minister. He is certain, he added, that as long as Viktor Orban is Prime Minister of Hungary and Donald Trump is President of the United States, Hungarian-U.S. relations will live their golden age.

The conversation also touched on energy cooperation. The host recalled that the parties recently concluded agreements on crude oil, natural gas, and nuclear cooperation, although details have not yet been made public, and asked what can be disclosed about their content. Peter Szijjarto explained that it is in Hungary’s interest to use nuclear energy as much as possible. "This follows from our geography, from the fact that our oil and gas fields are not among the world’s largest, and if we want to produce large amounts of electricity in an environmentally friendly, stable and cheap way over the long term, nuclear energy and power plants work best."

At the same time new technologies are constantly being developed in the nuclear world, and Americans play a major role in this area. We agreed to start technological cooperation so that Hungary can use new nuclear technologies developed in the United States as soon as possible,

he said. He also mentioned small nuclear reactors being developed in America, stating that the goal is for Hungary to adopt these technologies quickly, which is why the agreement was signed.

Regarding natural gas, since the Hungrian Prime Minister's visit an LNG contract has been concluded with an American company for the purchase of liquefied natural gas. As for crude oil, the Americans confirmed that as long as Donald Trump and Viktor Orban remain in office and see it justified, the exemption granted to Hungary from U.S. sanctions regarding oil deliveries can remain in force.

The host asked whether this already exists in a contract or is still based only on a handshake. Peter Szijjarto made it clear:

In this system of relations there is nothing stronger than the handshake of the two leaders.

Marco Rubio also stated this clearly at the press conference, he added.

The full interview with Peter Szijjarto can be viewed here:

Cover photo: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and U.S. President Donald Trump (Photo: AFP)