State Secretary for Environmental Affairs Dr. Zoltán Illés and Deputy State Secretary for Parliamentary, Social and International Relations Katalin Tóth received high-level delegations from the three countries of the Mekong River Commission, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, at the Ministry of Rural Development. The primary goal of the discussion was to pass on experiences with relation to international water management cooperation. Communiqué.

The visiting delegation was headed by Vietnamese Minister for Natural Resources and the Environment Nguyen Minh Quang, and the members of the delegation included Laos's Minister for Natura Resources and the Environment, Cambodia's State Secretary for Water and Meteorology, as well as deputy ministers and high-level government officials representing the three countries and the Mekong River Commission.

In her welcoming speech, Katalin Tóth emphasised that Hungary is traditionally open to passing on information, experience and suitable practices within the field of water management at both a state and professional level. She stressed that the countries of the Danube region and the nations that live along the banks of the Mekong must face similar challenges, and this too serves to strengthen bilateral relations. Katalin Tóth also reminded those present that Hungary kept the issue of water on the agenda throughout the Rio+20 Conference in June, in relation to which we have undertaken to organise a world conference on water in the autumn of 2013.

At the meeting, Zoltán Illés discussed the development of relationships between Hungary and the countries of the Mekong region, and especially cooperation between Hungary and Vietnam. The State Secretary for Environmentally Affairs sees long-term opportunities for cooperation primarily within the fields of education and the exchange of professional experts. In addition, he stressed the need for cooperation in relation to waters that are divided by borders and presented his views with relation to the special problems posed by water energy projects. The Minister from Vietnam proposed a bilateral water management agreement, the details of which will be discussed in the near future.

At the discussions, the Hungarian party reviewed the operation of the domestic water management and water conservation systems and the current international challenges, with special emphasis on the European Union's water policy and cooperation within the Danube region. The guests received an insight into the macro-regional strategy of the EU Danube region, and especially its two highlighted areas dealing with water, which are being coordinated by Hungary.

(Press Office of the Ministry of Rural Development)