FM: Hungary’s energy security would be impossible without Turkic states

Hungarian energy companies have acquired ownership rights to oil and gas fields in Azerbaijan, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó announced on May 21 during a joint press conference in Budapest with Kubanychbek Omuraliev, Secretary-General of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS).

Szijjártó stated that this acquisition means Hungarian firms can now participate in international markets not only as buyers but also as sellers, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media. 

“Of course, this takes us to a completely different level,” he said.

The minister criticised what he called “unrealistic attempts” to portray energy supply as a political issue. “This is an absurd approach. Energy supply is a physical issue, and the reality today is that Hungary’s gas supply must now flow almost entirely through Türkiye. Had we not built the TurkStream gas pipeline, the physical supply of natural gas to Hungary today would be impossible, since Ukraine has closed the pipeline delivering gas from the east to Central Europe,” Szijjártó explained.

He also revealed that Kazakhstan will soon begin natural gas production for the first time in the country’s history. Moreover, both Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have decided to construct nuclear power plants and plan to use Hungarian nuclear technology in these projects.

Szijjártó emphasised that the region represented by the Organisation of Turkic States has become the third most important source of oil and gas in the world. “Therefore, Hungary’s cooperation with these countries in the energy sector is naturally of great significance,” he said.

The Hungarian foreign minister also addressed the OTS’s role in resolving regional and global conflicts. “Member states of the Organisation of Turkic States can play an important role in stabilising the situation in Afghanistan,” Szijjártó said, adding that doing so would eliminate a serious global terrorist threat.

He reiterated that the OTS stands for ending conflicts around the world. Referring to the three major armed conflicts currently threatening global security, Szijjártó said Turkic states seem best positioned to contribute solutions. “Hungary greatly values Türkiye’s successful mediation in the war on our doorstep (in Ukraine). This includes not only the signing of the Black Sea grain deal a few years ago, but also the fact that, just last week, after a three-year hiatus, direct contact between Russia and Ukraine took place again — in Türkiye, in Istanbul,” he noted.

Szijjártó also welcomed progress in the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process: “They managed to finalise the text of a peace agreement. This shows that countries that have fought and been hostile toward each other for many years can achieve peace. And today, a joint statement on Afghanistan was also adopted, sending a hopeful signal.”

He concluded by reaffirming that without the Turkic states, Hungary’s energy security would be impossible.

According to Szijjártó, Hungary has significantly benefited from cooperation with the Turkic states in recent years. “Economy, security, and energy supply are the key pillars of our cooperation with the Turkic states. The world has changed dramatically, and these changes have elevated the importance of the Organisation of Turkic States. The relevance of our successful cooperation with them has also increased. It is no exaggeration to say that we live in an era of dangers. But thanks to this cooperation, we can respond more easily to the challenges shaking Europe,” he said.

Despite global economic difficulties, Turkic states have strengthened their economies considerably. In recent years, the GDP of these countries has grown by 20%, and intra-organisation trade has increased by 50%. “We have also doubled our trade volume with the Turkic states by joining this process,” Szijjártó concluded.

By Tamilla Hasanova