Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, spoke by phone with Laziz Kudratov, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade on Tuesday.
Minister Szijjártó said on Facebook that he agreed with Kudratov, who also serves as co-chair of the Hungarian-Uzbek Mixed Economic Committee, that the next meeting of the body would be called for May to review joint projects. He noted among the joint projects the industrial park established for Hungarian investors in one of Uzbekistan’s free trade zones. In the 50-hectare area Hungarian companies are offered incentives for their investments, the minister said, adding that talks were progressing well on cooperation primarily in the agricultural sector and the food industry. He noted that Hungary’s exports to Uzbekistan had doubled over the past ten years and are estimated to be worth close to 100 million dollars this year. A direct flight is expected to be launched between Budapest and Tashkent which Szijjártó said could give new impetus to the development of bilateral relations. The Hungarian foreign minister spoke to Kudratov on the sidelines of his programme in Brussels, prior to leaving for India.