Hungary, Poland eye more cooperation on infrastructure, energy

VESZPREM, March 23 (Xinhua) -- The development of infrastructure and the creation of energetic security were the major themes of a Hungarian-Polish presidential meeting held in Veszprem, western Hungary on Friday.

The themes included the infrastructural developments covering the whole region, the creation of transport corridors and energetic security, as well as the investments related to the Three Seas Initiative, Hungarian President Janos Ader told reporters after meeting with his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda.

"Concerning the joint infrastructure development, the efforts point to the creation of two major transport corridors with endpoints in Poland and Southern Europe," Ader explained, adding that in relation to these projects, Hungary would have to build one-one sections in the western and eastern part of its territory.

"It is the aim of each European country to ensure its gas and oil purchases from multiple sources. For this purpose, they must create the conditions to build wires, inter-connectors, upgrade wires to become bidirectional, and connect different networks," Ader said.

Poland has made a big step in this direction by building an LNG terminal in the north, Ader said, adding that it would be great if the LNG terminal was also to be built in Croatia, but the works there have not yet been started.

"Strengthening the security of nations in the field of energy is also important, and it would be good to use both the existing infrastructure and build new ones," Duda underlined.

If Croatia were to realize a similar investment as the gasport already working in the northern Polish city of Swinoujscie, it would enable the construction of a North-South gas corridor, Duda added, pointing to the fact that the increase of energetic safety was a regional matter of the utmost important, and its proper operations needed inter-connectors to be set up between Poland and the Czech Republic and between Poland and Slovakia as well.

About the infrastructural developments of the Three Seas Initiative, the common needs had to be defined, and a joint financial foundation had to be set up to engage the investments of the participating countries, according to Ader.

Duda said that it was also important to improve the transport potential of the region, and although the Three Seas Initiative negotiations were moving at a fast rate, some partner countries might have difficulties in financing, thus the creation of a fund that could help implement the initiatives was planned.

Regarding the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, Ader said that the Hungarian position did not change. Hungary wanted a decision that was in line with EU rules, and met the requirements of energy security, did not apply double standards, and served the member states' interests in energetic security.

Duda arrived at the invitation of Ader for the 12th occasion of the Hungarian-Polish Friendship Day, hosted by the city of Veszprem this year.

Since 2007, the Hungarian-Polish Friendship Day has been celebrated alternately annually in the two countries in the presence of heads of states, and the representatives of twin cities and friends' associations. Enditem