MFA Deputy State Secretary responsible European bilateral relations Gergely Prőhle held talks with Europe Director of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Vijay Rangarajan in Budapest on 15 November.

Both parties welcomed the intensive dialogue pursued by both governments, within the framework of which both parties are endeavouring to further deepen their cooperation based on mutual interests. The pragmatic approach of the two governments is conducive to cooperation on issues that are currently on the agenda of the European Union.

Gergely Prőhle informed his British counterpart about the work of the Visegrád Group (V4) and about the priorities of the Hungarian V4 Presidency in 2013-2014. He proposed a V4-British Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, which Mr. Rangarajan welcomed. The meeting would coincide with a meeting that the association of Hungarians who studied in the United Kingdom is organising with similar former scholarship students from the V4 countries.

The parties also discussed areas in which Britain could join various V4 programmes. This would be possible in joint projects relating to the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries, as well as within the field of energy.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs)