BUDAPEST, OCTOBER 16: India and Hungary today pitched for setting up a strong global legal framework and sustained international action to eliminate the scourge of terrorism.
“There has been a meeting of minds between our two sides that the scourge of terrorism needs to be eliminated and there is a need for a strong global legal framework and concerted action by all in dealing with this threat,” Vice President Hamid Ansari said at a joint press conference with Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban after the two countries signed two MoUs, including one on water management.
Ansari is on a three-day visit to Hungary as part of his two-nation five-day trip to central Europe and North Africa.
However, the Hungarian Prime Minister did not refer the issue of terrorism directly but said Budapest favours peaceful resolution of international political issues.
Without referring to any specifics, Orban expressed Hungary’s full support to India’s “international aspirations”.
Ansari expressed India’s appreciation for the support extended by Hungary to India’s membership of the Missile Technology Control Regime and for the entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
The Vice-President said relations between India and Hungary are friendly, multi-faceted and have a cultural resonance besides both the countries being thriving democracies and dynamic economies.
“I had an excellent meeting with the Prime Minister of Hungary. We had an opportunity to review the entire gamut of our bilateral relations as well as share views on global and regional issues,” he said.
Orban said Hungary has set up a working group on technology to explore the possibilities of bilateral ties in various areas, including defence production for mutual benefits.
The Hungarian Prime Minister recalled the contribution of India’s the then Ambassador to Hungary, M A Rahman, who played a key role in Hungary’s historical uprising in 1956, saying former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru too had supported the people’s struggle in Hungary.
Hungary has also invited Rahman’s family to participate in the 60th anniversary of its national day to be celebrated on October 26.
Ansari, who arrived here in the Hungarian capital yesterday, had said that the issue of cross-border terrorism, which has badly affected India, will be raised with the top leadership of Hungary and Algeria during his five-day trip, in the wake of the terror attack in Uri in which 19 soldiers were killed.
The MoU in the field of water management was signed on India’s behalf by Indian Ambassador to Hungary Rahul Chabra while the other agreement between Indian Council for World Affairs and Institute of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary was signed by Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs Sujata Mehta.
Ansari had yesterday said that Hungary has immense experience in cleaning river as well as making it navigational and the MoU on river management could help India get expertise in cleaning Ganga and other rivers.
Ansari’s visit to Hungary comes over two decades after then President Shankar Dayal Sharma had visited the central European country in 1993.
