Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén met with recently elected 97th Armenian Apostolic Patriarch of Jerusalem Nurhan Manougian during his visit to Jerusalem on Thursday. According to the Deputy Prime Minister, the fact that he was the first secular foreign dignitary to be received by the Patriarch since his election on January 24 is a notable gesture.

The parties discussed Armenian-Hungarian relations and the background behind the extradition of convicted murderer Ramil Safarov. Following the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Semjén told Hungarian news agency MTI by telephone that he had informed the Armenian Apostolic Patriarch that Hungary always extradites people in similar cases, and the Azerbaijan party had made assurances that Safarov would serve his prison sentence. He stressed that Hungary would like to settle its relationship with Armenia and the Armenian people.

According to Deputy Prime Minister’s statement, the Patriarch said that "what's done is done", adding that the historically excellent relationship between Hungary and Armenia must be further developed in a positive direction.


Deputy Prime Minister Semjén began a four-day official visit to Israel and Bethlehem, in Palestine Authority territory, on Wednesday. He will meet with Chief Rabbi of Israel Yona Metzger, visit the Yad Vashem Museum and lay a wreath at the memorial to the victims of the Holocaust.

In Jerusalem, he will meet with Palestinian Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church Fouad Twal and Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem Theophilos III. In Bethlehem, Zsolt Semjén will meet with local and national Palestinian leaders and will be presenting state awards to individuals who have achieved outstanding merit in bilateral relations.

(MTI, Prime Minister's Office)