“The Middle Corridor will bring the Golden Age for the Southern Caucasus” László Vasa on Caliber.Az

Caliber.Az interview with Hungarian expert and professor László Vasa.  

László Vasa is a Senior Researcher at the Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary. He has served as a visiting scholar at many different international organizations and received honorary doctorates from universities in Japan, Russia, and Kazakhstan. Dr. Vasa is also a Vice-Rector for Scientific Affairs at Budapest Metropolitan University.

- How do you assess Azerbaijan-Hungary relations in political and economic areas?

- Azerbaijan and Hungary have had excellent relations for more than ten years. Hungary started to implement its “Opening to the East” foreign policy; as a result, we opened new embassies, and consulates and increased the number of diplomats in the post-Soviet countries and China. As a result, the level of the political, cultural, scientific, and economic relations with Azerbaijan increased significantly. Now the partnership is strategic, meaning that the two countries, besides the bilateral affairs, cooperate on the international level as well. The direct flight between the two capitals stimulates not only the tourists but the economic relations as well. Also, the cargo flights from Baku play a significant role in the logistics between Asia and Europe. Hungary offered support for the demining and rebuilding projects in the liberated Karabakh. Several hundreds of Azerbaijani students get full scholarships at Hungarian universities. So the relations are really excellent.

- Besides energy cooperation, what causes the mutual interest between Baku and Budapest?

- Hungary makes significant efforts to diversify its economy and exports as it is now overwhelmingly focusing on Western Europe (80%). It is obvious that diversifying the exports, imports, and FDI is a must for us. That is why the Hungarian government started the above-mentioned opening to the Eastern countries. In addition, it is also clear that Asia will be – and already is – the economic powerhouse of the world. We would like to be part of this success story. It is also clear that Azerbaijan will be the main beneficiary of the Middle Corridor which may bring the Golden Age for the Southern Caucasus and Central Asia. In addition, there is a real brotherhood feeling between Azerbaijan and Hungary, due to our common Turkic roots. So, the Organization of Turkic States provides an excellent platform for our cooperation.

- The Hungarian government knows how to defend its national interests. In particular, without fear of disagreements with the EU. How deep are the disagreements between Budapest and Brussels?

- The disagreement between the EU and Hungary is quite deep and based on the conflict of political philosophies. In Brussels the liberal view is dominating, forcing the acceptance of the LMBTQ, illegal migration and the giving up national consciousness. The Hungarian society, represented by the conservative Hungarian government is against these. Another significant difference is that the EU administration declared that the solution to the demographic problems (shrinking population) is migration while Hungary thinks supporting the families is the key. Brussels and the US applied several tools against the conservative populist Orbán government: diplomatic actions, withholding of EU funds for Hungary due to false reasons, etc. Also, some EU countries criticize Hungary for having excellent relations with the Turkic countries and China.

- Hungary and the Organization of Turkic States. What attracts Hungary to the Organization of Turkic States? In what areas is cooperation the most promising?

- Eventually and officially Hungarian language does not belong to the Turkic language group. However, there are some theories that question the Finn-Ugric character. We have more Turkic words in our language than Finn-Ugric… On the other hand, it is a fact, that the origin of the Hungarian nation is Central Asia where our ancestors were living with Turkic nations together for many hundreds of years. We are considered as relatives in the Turkic Central Asian countries and in Azerbaijan as well, and, frankly, culturally we are much closer to each other than with the Finn-Ugric or Western nations. So, these reasons were significant in applying to the OTS as an observer member. For sure, besides the common cultural and academic actions, we see the OTS as a good opportunity for our economic issues as well. In addition, we can share a lot of experiences of the economic and political transition. And, we can serve as a base, a kind of bridge between the EU and the OTS.

- The Azerbaijani people are grateful to Hungary for its support in the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. Budapest has always supported Azerbaijan at the political level. But what about the Hungarian society?

- The decision to support Azerbaijan in this conflict is based on the point of the Hungarian government that we do not intervene in domestic political and security issues of other countries. By international law the situation was always very clear: Karabakh is part of Azerbaijan. For sure, the excellent and brotherly connections determined our point. But I have to note, that the left- and liberal-oriented Hungarian elite, including most of the journalists, is influenced by the Western, pro-Armenian narrative. In this regard, the Azerbaijani government has to do a lot to change this mindset of Western societies.

- Maybe it is a bit rude question, but it might be interesting to hear the answer. Is there nostalgia in the Hungarian society for the socialist times - the times of, for example, János Kádár?

- The elder generation has such an approach definitely as they are the loser of the transition. Still, there is a strong need among the people for a strong state that will help in a hard situation. But the younger generation has no memories from the Kadar era so they do not have such feelings.

Farah Mammadli