Hungary has been helping persecuted Middle East Christians return home, the foreign minister has revealed.
Péter Szijjártó, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, told a conference focusing on the victims of ethnic and religious conflicts in Brussels that Hungary’s policies will help persecuted Christians return to their homelands in the Middle East.
The minister said Hungary will carry on with its Middle East program, under which the government has so far allocated over 3 billion HUF (9.5 million EUR) for building schools, renewing hospitals, and providing scholarships to young Christians in the region.
Minister Szijjártó warned that if efforts to encourage locals to return to their homes fail, the abandoned areas could again be occupied by the Islamic State terrorist organization.
The minister added that the international community’s support for Christians to return to their homelands is pivotal for the security of the region as well as for security in Europe. He also urged “security and financial guarantees” to facilitate stabilization.
According to MTI, the minister said Hungary strives to promote peace in the Middle East, but it requires a two-state solution based on Israel and the Palestinian state, achieved through peaceful negotiations.
Hungary supports any international measures to that end but will reject “moves aimed at generating hysteria”. He also criticized the European Union for “acting as a judge and creating tension” in connection with issues around the United States relocating its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
“It is not right nor does it have any purpose if the EU passes a patronizing opinion on each and every international issue,” the minister insisted. “Statements that can generate hysteria do not contribute to a solution but further deepen existing divisions,” he added.