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SZIJJÁTÓ: ENERGY SECURITY TOP PRIORITY

Europe’s central, eastern and southern regions must boost their cooperation in order to carry out projects that serve to improve the region’s energy security, Hungary’s foreign minister has said.

The security of energy supply is one of the biggest global challenges today, Péter Szijjártó said at a Eurasian energy security forum in Belgrade. He said the interests of central and eastern European countries should be taken into consideration when deciding on energy investment projects and double standards eliminated. CEE countries should be able to decide on their own energy mix and Eurasian cooperation. He also urged the diversification of the region’s energy supply. As regards the use of double standards, Szijjártó argued that western European countries are rarely criticised for the measures they take to ensure their energy security, while CEE countries often receive criticism. It should be made clear, he said, that the CEE countries have the right to be treated equally to western European countries. Hungary, he said, was not looking to take the side of either Russia or the United States when deciding on energy-related matters, but was looking out for the interests of Hungarians. “What’s of importance is there should be a balance between east and west,” he said.