Abdullah Ensour, Hungarian counterpart discuss ties

Jordan and Hungary held talks at the Prime Ministry that focused on means of forging closer economic, trade and educational ties between the two countries. Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour, who headed the Jordanian side to the talks, said the government looks forward to establishing strong ties with Hungary as there are wide scopes of cooperation between the two countries. He voiced hope that agreements signed will help in boosting joint cooperation.

Ensour also pointed to opportunities available to cooperate and exchange expertise in the fields of energy, technology transfer, pharmaceuticals, higher education, agriculture, tourism, investment, housing and construction. He also expressed hope that the visit of the Hungarian prime minister will contribute to further bolstering bilateral ties. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said his country is keen to establish solid ties with the region's countries, including Jordan, which enjoys security and stability. Hungary he said, is aware of the challenges facing Jordan due to hosting thousands of Syrian refugees. The two countries signed in the presence of the two prime ministers cooperation agreements in the economic, energy and mineral resources fields in addition to a scientific and educational cooperation program.

In a joint press conference with the Hungarian prime minister, Ensour highlighted opportunities available to boost cooperation through benefiting from investment opportunities in the energy, agricultural, higher education, scientific exchange and tourism sectors. Ensour voiced Jordan's willingness to enhance cooperation with Hungary in the agricultural domain. Both sides, he added, discussed energy cooperation and means of benefiting from the Hungarian experience in this area.

Ensour highlighted repercussions of the Syrian crisis on Jordan's economy as it is hosting around half a million Syrian refugees, noting that the Kingdom is performing its humanitarian duty towards the refugees. The Hungarian prime minister expressed appreciation of Jordan's role to bring about stability in the region, adding that his country is keen to further promote cooperation with Jordan. He said his visits aims at discussing the Syrian crisis and getting acquainted with steps needed to deal with the situation in Syria.