From opening its own embassy building in Budapest to the growth of trade and cultural exchange, relations between Kyrgyzstan and Hungary are entering a new stage of development.
In an interview, Talant Kushchubekov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kyrgyz Republic to Hungary, explains why he calls this period a «renaissance,» what tangible results have already been achieved, and how political changes in Hungary may impact future cooperation between the two countries.
— Mr. Ambassador, good afternoon! Five years ago, the Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Hungary was established, and now it has its own building, which President Sadyr Japarov personally visited. This is a significant achievement, as for a sovereign state, renting premises for a diplomatic mission is, at the very least, irrational. Have you succeeded in creating a classic embassy?
— Good afternoon! Indeed, the establishment and acquisition of a building for the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in Budapest became possible thanks to the initiative and decision of President Sadyr Japarov.
There is no doubt that the acquisition of an office for the embassy was a significant step forward, both in strengthening our diplomatic mission and in demonstrating the growing importance of Kyrgyzstan — Hungary relations.
Our country’s goal was not only to acquire a building but also to create a full-fledged, classic embassy with appropriate conditions for work, receiving delegations, and hosting events of various levels and natures.
Now we can confidently say that the embassy as a whole and its staff in particular have all the necessary conditions to fully fulfill their diplomatic functions.
— You previously stated in the media that Kyrgyzstan — Hungary relations are experiencing a «renaissance.» Please clarify what you meant by that?
— I used the term «renaissance» because we are indeed witnessing a qualitatively new stage in the development of our bilateral relations. As is well known, more than 10 centuries ago, living together in the vast expanses of the Southern Urals, Central Asia, and Altai, the nomadic peoples of this vast region, including the Kyrgyz tribes, formed the foundation of nomadic civilization. Due to well-known historical events, some of them, including those led by Attila, migrated to the Danube steppes, and blood ties with them were subsequently lost for many centuries.
Since gaining independence, the Turkic-speaking countries of Central Asia have begun to re-establish full-fledged interstate ties with Hungary, and the Kyrgyz Republic is no exception.
This is now evident in everything from high-level political dialogue to intensified economic and humanitarian ties.
We are witnessing genuine interest from our Hungarian partners, which is reflected in concrete joint projects, investment initiatives, educational programs, and cultural exchanges. If this is not a true «renaissance,» then it is at least a real revival of full-scale relations under new historical conditions—not a formal one, but one filled with practical content.
— Diplomatic relations between Kyrgyzstan and Hungary were established in 1992 and have, in recent years, reached the level of a strategic partnership. This is evidenced by high-level visits, jointly adopted documents, regular consultations, and meetings between the two sides. Please tell us about the scale, nature, and dynamics of trade, economic, cultural, and humanitarian cooperation between our countries.
— Our cooperation today covers a wide range of areas and issues. The Strategic Council, the Kyrgyz-Hungarian Intergovernmental Commission, and the Development Fund have become important institutions and mechanisms for implementing a mutually beneficial partnership. The Strategic Council, chaired by the heads of the foreign ministries of the two countries, holds annual meetings to analyze the implementation of agreements reached during exchange visits and meetings between the heads of state and government.
At the discretion of the leadership of the countries, new proposals for deepening mutually beneficial cooperation in the political, trade, economic, cultural, and humanitarian spheres are submitted. After approval, these proposals are formalized as a roadmap for their step-by-step implementation.
To the deep satisfaction of the parties, the role and contribution of the Development Fund, which has recently supported the implementation of a number of projects in our republic in the agricultural, hydropower, and electrical engineering sectors, should be particularly noted.
In this regard, the Hungarian side decided to increase its authorized capital to $50 million, which opens up new opportunities for the business communities of both countries.
We are also actively working to expand trade and economic ties within the framework of the joint intergovernmental commission, the 4th meeting of which was held last November in Budapest. The meeting included a highly representative business forum, which is a key element in identifying and establishing cooperation between entrepreneurs from both countries.
As a result, it can be concluded that over the past four years, the volume of mutual trade between our countries has almost doubled, exceeding the $14 million mark.
Cultural, humanitarian, and educational spheres, also a key area of bilateral partnership, include interuniversity cooperation, a scholarship program for Kyrgyz students to study at Hungarian universities, and the hosting of exhibitions and concerts, as well as Culture and Cinema Days, in each country.
A notable event in the cultural life of the two fraternal peoples was the publication this year in Budapest of a collection of poems by the classic Kyrgyz poet Alykul Osmonov in Hungarian, timed by the Kyrgyz Embassy to coincide with his 100th anniversary.
— Parliamentary elections were held in Hungary, resulting in a victory for the opposition Tisza party. How might this impact bilateral relations between our countries?
Indeed, following the voting results, the Tisza party secured a two-thirds parliamentary majority, which will have the right to form the new Hungarian government. Based on the party’s election platform, the main focus of the new government’s foreign policy, as stated by its leader, Péter Magyar, will be Hungary’s return to Europe, that is, the full restoration of trust and cooperation with the EU on alliance principles.
This means that in the first period, the activities of the new Hungarian government will be focused on the European direction.
At the same time, given the new government’s intention to pursue a pragmatic policy that meets Hungary’s interests, there is reason to believe that our bilateral cooperation, built generally on mutual respect and consideration of each party’s interests, will retain its fundamental principles and directions.
However, some adjustments are entirely possible, which will be determined after the appointment of a new Hungarian prime minister and the official policy statements of the head of the new government.
