On March 30, the Kuksaroy residence hosted an official welcoming ceremony for the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who arrived in Uzbekistan on an official visit yesterday, the Uzbek presidency website reported.

The high-level Uzbek-Hungarian talks began with a narrow format meeting.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev greeted the distinguished guest on the Uzbek soil and noted that this visit will launch a new stage in the Uzbek-Hungarian ties. Viktor Orbán confirmed Hungary's interest in expanding multifaceted cooperation with Uzbekistan.

The parties discussed the ways for advancing cooperation in the political, trade and economic, investment, financial and technical, cultural and humanitarian areas and reiterated their readiness to elevate the Uzbek-Hungarian ties to the strategic partnership level.

The two leaders agreed to strengthen long-term cooperation, use new mutually beneficial areas, and maintain ties between business circles and the provinces of the two countries.

The parties exchange views on the international and provincial issues and confirmed the coincidence of views and approaches to strengthening peace, security and stability.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán afterwards reportedly continued the talks with the participation of official delegations of the two countries.

Over the past four years, the volume of the two-way trade has almost tripled. According to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan, in 2020 the trade turnover stood at US$ 109.3 million (+ 53.9% compared to 2019), including exports - US$ 538.3 thousand, imports - US$ 108.7 million ( + 54.1%).

During the talks, the President of Uzbekistan and the Prime Minister of Hungary noted the existence of "huge untapped opportunities for cooperation." The main attention was paid to the issues of strengthening trade, economic, investment and financial ties.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted the importance of boosting trade, eliminating the imbalance in the bilateral trade and stressed that it is necessary to effectively tap the potential of the Uzbek-Hungarian Trade House being created in Budapest.

Agreements were reached on the implementation of food industry, pharmaceuticals, agricultural processing, chemistry and mechanical engineering projects in Uzbekistan.

According to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, G2B and B2 B meetings were held between the heads of ministries, departments, industry associations and companies of Uzbekistan and Hungary on the morning of March 30, after the first meeting of the Uzbek-Hungarian Business Council. As a result, cooperation agreements were signed, including between the United Republican Processing Center and the Hungarian company Spectrum Security Safety Kft.

The President of Uzbekistan proposed to establish partnerships between the provinces of the two countries and hold an annual Forum of Provinces.

Viktor Orbán expressed his readiness to exchange experience and technologies in the field of agriculture, storage and processing of fruits, fish farming and seed production:

“I am grateful for the hospitality. We came here with high hopes. Of course finances, the economy are important. But the Uzbek culture is more important for us."

"We are in a very interesting situation in Europe. We are like an island in Europe, we have nor friends neither strangers. Because we have a unique history. Despite the distance, our being Christians, your being Muslims, we consider you friends."

"The difficult 30 years have passed behind us. Of the last 32 years, I have passed 16 years as the head of state and the previous to that, 16 years as the opposition leader. We have experienced transition. We have also experienced the difficulties of privatization, the transition to market relations."

"Today, Hungary, as a developed country, is ready to share its experience and knowledge. You talked about all the important topics. We will sign documents on strategic partnership today."

"You wish to engage all major Hungarian banks in your banking reforms. We can also share Hungary’s experience in the nuclear field."

"We are pleased with the cooperation between our universities, which educates more than a hundred students each year,” said the Hungarian Prime Minister."

"This academic year, students from Uzbekistan have received more than 100 grants to study at universities in Hungary. the Debrecen University will open its branch in Tashkent this year. At the talks, an agreement was reached on the consistent continuation of cooperation and strengthening ties between institutions of science and culture."

Shavkat Mirziyoyev responded to Viktor Orban's words:

"You said you are like an island in Europe, that you have no friends and no strangers. Now you can say that now Uzbekistan is a close friend of Hungary”.