The mood has changed towards Iran and once a solution is found to the country’s nuclear programme, it could offer Hungary great potential to develop ties and boost exports, the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs told Hungarian news agency MTI in New York after addressing the UN General Assembly’s session on 30 September 2013.
„If issues surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme do in fact become resolved, Hungary’s starting position [for developing ties] will make a difference,” János Martonyi said.
He said that Hungary, while observing international sanctions, has maintained ties with Iran, noting that about 1,000 Iranians study at Hungarian universities and that Hungary continues to export to Iran within the framework allowed for by international sanctions.
„We have traditionally good relations with Iran and I believe there will be great opportunities opening up for Hungary to export there in the future,” Minister Martonyi said, noting that he had held talks with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad-Javad Zarif on 30 September 2013.
Minister Martonyi said he had held meetings with leaders and representatives of Jewish organisations including the north-American chapter of the World Jewish Congress, the Anti-Defamation League, B’nai B’rith International, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organisations and the National Conference on Soviet Jewry.
Martonyi said that as a routine he always meets American Jewish organisations whenever he attends the sessions of the UN General Assembly.
„I think it is important that the largest Jewish community of Central Europe lives in Hungary and we hope that, despite their anxieties, they feel increasingly secure,” the Foreign Minister said.
He also called it important that around 200,000 Hungarian speakers or people of Hungarian live in Israel, a large proportion of whom hold Hungarian citizenship and will most probably cast their votes, similarly to other Hungarians elsewhere in the world, at Hungary’s next general elections in 2014.
(Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
