Péter Szijjártó, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and External Economic Relations declared that the Hungarian Government has taken the necessary measures to deepen Hungarian-Turkish cooperation and the goal of the Government is to double the volume of trade between the two countries.

Peter Szijjártó stated at the Turkish seminar held by the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry that in terms of foreign trade, Turkey is the 5th most important partner of Hungary among countries outside the EU, adding that the annual volume of foreign trade between the two countries is currently more than 2 billion US.

He emphasized that Turkish-Hungarian foreign trade relations are not simply bilateral relations, because Turkey enables Hungary to also reach out to a whole region, including the Arab world and Caucasian states.

The State Secretary pointed out that 38 Hungarian companies currently operate in Turkey, with 293 Turkish companies in Hungary, adding that foreign trade may be increased primarily through cattle exports and the construction industry, as well as through water management and environmental projects.

He pointed out that nothing will be the same after the crisis and a country or a company cannot be made successful using the usual economic policy tools, adding that it is also necessary to take new measures within the field of external economic relations and to enter the competition for new economic allies resulting in Hungary's policy to open towards the East.

(MTI)