Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said Hungary is reopening its embassy in Damascus, as armed conflict has recently abated and the security situation stabilised in Syria.
Minister Szijjártó said Hungarian presence in the country would allow gaining first-hand, credible information about local developments and an opportunity to represent Hungary's political stance, as well as the interests of Hungarian citizens whenever necessary.
Minister Szijjártó said Hungary had a vested interest in the stability and peace of the Middle East and paid special attention to Christian communities living in the region to which it continued to provide humanitarian aid. "We continue to raise our voice firmly for respecting the rights of Christian communities....," he said.
In line with the country's policies, Hungary's ambassador to Syria was the first, "and so far the only" Western diplomat to meet the leaders of the two largest Christian denominations, to be briefed on how their communities had fared during the events of the past weeks, Minister Szijjártó said.
The church leaders had thanked Hungary for its support of Syrian Christians, "and for the solidarity, a dwindling commodity among European countries in these uncertain times," Minister Szijjártó said.