Hungary urges EU to contact Syria’s Assad to end refugee crisis
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Peter Szijjarto, said on Friday the European Union should engage with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his government to end the refugee crisis and improve security in the region.
Szijjarto urged the EU to abandon its unsuccessful foreign policy regarding Syria and that it should reconsider its stance of not contacting the Syrian government and al-Assad.
This statement came following his meeting with Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib in Budapest.
Szijjarto pointed out that Lebanon’s stability is also key to containing illegal migration, as it is currently housing more than 1.5 million refugees.
“Should Lebanon not take care of those people … they would almost certainly leave for Europe. And we all know the effect they would have on Europe’s stability and future,” he said.
Szijjarto noted “In the past ten years, I have been the only one to stay [in power] in Europe, and President Assad is also there. So maybe we should review the strategy and start providing economic aid rather than setting conditions, so that security can be restored and refugees sent back to Syria.”
He urged the EU and the international community to take all possible actions to keep Lebanon neutral and out of any warfare.