Egypt, Hungary defense ministers discuss military cooperation, migration crisis

Egypt's defense minister Sedki Sobhi met on Wednesday with Hungarian counterpart István Simicskó in Hungary's Budapest, where both sides discussed means to boost military cooperation.

In a video statement by the Egyptian army published on Facebook, a spokesman said the ministers' talks focused mainly on military production and the exchange of expertise between the two countries' armed forces in several fields.

The officials also exchanged views on regional and international issues, including the latest developments in the Middle East.

The Hungarian defence minister said the two sides discussed bolstering military relations and defence industry cooperation, as well as cooperating on the migrant crisis and the fight against terrorism.

Sobhi and Simicskó affirmed that cooperation was in the "common interest" of both countries, according to Hungary Today.

On migration, Simicskó stressed that there was no security in Europe without stability in Egypt, saying that instability in the North African country would trigger the departure of about ten million migrants to Europe, the Hungarian website reported.

on Egypt's fight against terrorism, the Hungarian leader said Egypt's commitment to fighting terrorism is important as the country plays a crucial role in the Middle East.

Since Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi was sworn into office in 2014, Egypt has aimed to diversify its arms sources and increase military cooperation with several states, including Russia, Greece, and others.

        Source: Ahram online