Addressing the assembly, Bertalan Tóth said his party agreed with the three main goals Szijjártó outlined in connection with Germany, the United States and Ukraine.

But the government was using foreign policy for its own domestic political purposes, Tóth said, adding that “the Socialists will not assist it”.

The deputy group leader of radical nationalist Jobbik said maintaining a partnership with the United States and promoting peace in Ukraine were two conflicting goals. Márton Gyöngyösi said the conflict in Ukraine had been “provoked” by the US and the West, and developments served US geostrategic purposes.

András Schiffer, group leader of green opposition LMP, said he agreed that achieving peace in Ukraine is in Hungary’s interest, but the country must also make its opinion on Russia’s territorial aggression against Ukraine clear. He named eastern and southern Europe as Hungary’s primary strategic allies.

Antal Rogán, the group leader of ruling Fidesz, said the past few months had proved that the government’s “experience-based” foreign policy was working well. Had the left been in power, all ties with the East would have been severed and the left would be looking on “with wonder” at the signing of Eurasian economic cooperation, he said.

Rogán also suggested the left would have caved into American pressure over the US entry ban.

As it is, the US was unable to produce any evidence to underpin its allegations of corruption, he said, adding that the government was turning over a new leaf in relations with America.

Péter Szijjártó told lawmakers that the most important targets included strengthening Hungary’s strategic alliance with Germany, further improving cooperation as allies with the Unites States and promoting peace in Ukraine.

Additionally, he said, “We aim at pragmatic cooperation with Russia based on partnership and mutual respect that will enable ... the signing of economic and energy security agreements that are crucial for Hungary.”

Concerning ties with the US, Szijjártó said that the government was aiming to “restore political cooperation to the level of economic and defence cooperation despite unresolved issues of the recent past”.

Source www.hungarymatters.hu

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