Foreign Minister: Hungarian lawmakers could decide on IS action by mid-April

Budapest, March 10 (MTI) – Lawmakers are scheduled to decide on Hungary’s involvement in anti-Islamic State military operations by mid-April, the foreign minister told public radio on Tuesday.

Peter Szijjarto said that following approval, 100 Hungarian troops could deployed by end-May in the Kurdish northern region of Iraq as guards. A further 50 personnel would be on stand-by. Hungarian military leaders will travel in the second half of this month to inspect the site in Erbil where Hungarian troops may be deployed, he said, later telling journalists that this was the safest region of Iraq. The coalition will train Iraqi forces at Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan region.

Szijjarto underlined that Hungary has international obligations to fulfil in the face of “brutal attacks” by the IS terrorist organistaion, which also affect Europe and challenge the western system of values.

Hungary is already party to the conflict in connection with IS because it belongs to the western system of values which is combatting the terrorist organisation, Szijjarto told journalists after meeting lawmakers in parliament to discuss Hungary’s contribution to the international coalition. He said the foreign and defence committees would meet next week to discuss the issue. Preliminary estimates suggest that the mission would cost an annual 20 billion forints (EUR 65.6m). Budget funds will cover this amount, he said, though it is conceivable that the United States will make a financial contribution towards the cost of the mission.

He noted that the US had turned to Hungary with a request that it contribute troops to the international coalition fighting IS.

Photo: huppa.hu

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters