The Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States, Ambassador Kubanychbek Omuraliev paid a three-day official visit to Budapest. In the framework of his program, he met Péter Szijjártó, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, as well as Sándor Lezsák MP, the Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament, who is also the Head of the Central Asia Parliamentary Friendship Group. The Secretary General also conducted a working meeting in the Ybl Villa with Ambassador István Vásáry, the Executive Head of the Representation Office of the OTS in Hungary.
During the first day of his official visit, Secretary General Omuraliev met the Head of the Representation Office and its project directors who briefed him on the results of the previous months, as well as the tasks facing the Office. The participants covered several topics that figure high on the agenda of the cooperation between Hungary and the OTS. The issues were the following: the work of the Representation Office, the activities of the Drought Prevention Institute that operates within the Office, the launching of the Turkic Investment Fund (TIF) and a review of the events by OTS scheduled in Hungary for the upcoming period.
The meeting with Péter Szijjártó focused on the opportunities of the Hungarian Presidency of the EU, beginning on July 1. The Sides also talked about the Joint Action Plan of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary and the OTS, the objective of which is to enhance the relations between the EU and the OTS during the Presidency of Hungary. Péter Szijjártó pointed out that Hungary is firmly committed to further strengthening the multifaceted cooperation between the OTS and its member states.
During the meeting Kubanychbek Omuraliev expressed the satisfaction of the Turkic states that the bilateral and multilateral relations have gradually been developing since Hungary was granted the observer status in 2018, and that the cooperation with Hungary has deepened. The Secretary General highlighted that Hungary has become a valuable partner of the Turkic states, and has deeply embedded itself into the cooperation structure of the OTS within a short time, and has, furthermore, elevated its cooperation with all the OTS members to a strategic level. Ambassador Omuraliev also talked about the issues on the agenda of the OTS, as well as the practical steps in order to implement the Action Plan adopted during the 10th Summit of the Organization. He also spoke about the scheduled high level meetings and activities, first and foremost about the preparations for the Informal Summit in Shusha which will be convened in Azerbaijan in July 2024. He also briefed Péter Szijjártó on the 11th OTS Summit to be held in Bishkek in October 2024. The Secretary General paid special attention to the Joint Acton Plan between the OTS and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade, the goal of which is to develop their relations in 2024.
Kubanychbek Omuraliev underlined the significance that in the field of the economy, transport and connectivity, energetics, IT and digitalization, the agriculture and the protection of the environment, as well as the fight against illegal migration, the relations between the EU and the OTS should be strengthening. The Secretary General also expressed his appreciation to Minister Szijjártó for the active role and initiatives that Hungary takes in all the possible fields of the cooperation with the Turkic world.
After the meeting between Péter Szijjártó and Kubanychbek Omuraliev the ceremony of signing of the Joint Action plan between the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade and the OTS took place. The Action Plan is aimed at developing the relations between the EU and the OTS in 2024.
As part of his visit to Hungary, Kubanychbek Omuraliev also met Sándor Lezsák MP. The Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament congratulated him on his successful talks with Péter Szijjártó on the previous day, and the signing of the document of key significance, the goal of which is to enhance the cooperation between the EU and the OTS during the EU Presidency of Hungary.
The Sides also exchanged views on enhancing the cooperation between the OTS and the Hungarian Parliament, as well as the events by the OTS planned in Hungary during the upcoming period of time. Secretary General Omuraliev expressed his thanks for the active role that the Lakitelek College plays since through the personal commitment of Sándor Lezsák it brings the friendship between the Turkic and Hungarian people even closer.
