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SZIJJÁRTÓ HOLDS CONSULTATIONS WITH ICRC PRESIDENT

 

Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó held consultations with President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Peter Maurer. The minister said after the videoconference that they were in agreement caution was still needed because coronavirus infection levels were still rising in many countries. Szijjártó said they had established that the approach of the Red Cross and the Hungarian government to handling the epidemic were similar in many respects. “We were in agreement that coronavirus impacts not only health but the economy, too, and both need managing,” he said. “The social effects resulting from the loss of jobs can be especially severe in areas that had already posed the greatest security risks to Europe,” he added. Szijjártó said extremist ideologies could spread easily after the epidemic and this could increase the threat of terrorism, leading to further waves of migration. He said the situation confirmed Hungary’s position that “help must be taken to where the trouble is instead of bringing problems to Europe”. “The 919 Hungarian peacekeeping soldiers stationed on three continents will continue their work in destabilised areas and we will also continue to support African partners, also as part of the Visegrad Group, to handle crises,” he said.