BUDAPEST, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen met here Tuesday with his Hungarian counterpart, President Janos Ader, where they discussed bilateral and international questions, focusing on the protection of the environment.
"Hungary and Austria are both committed in executing the Paris agreement, and in elaborating its relevant regulations," Ader said at a press briefing following a meeting with his Austrian colleague.
"It is the responsibility of the two countries to make clear that the decision of the American President to quit the agreement cannot influence its execution," Ader underlined, adding that both Austria and Hungary were countries that saw their GDP grow since 1990 while at the same time they decreased their energy consumption. He also said that probably several American states would continue to honor the Paris agreement on their own account.
Ader also praised the quality of Austro-Hungarian ties, pointing at the fact that the level of trade between the two countries reached 10 billion euros, and that Austria was the second largest trading partner of Hungary.
"Austria gives work to 70-75,000 Hungarian people, and many Hungarians found employment in neighbouring Austria," he said.
Van der Bellen hailed the level of cooperation between the two countries, saying that in the light of the special relationship existing between the two countries, the quality of the relations was no surprise.
"Besides economy, the two countries work together on several cultural and environmental projects," he said.
In the morning, the Austrian head of state laid a wreath at Budapest's Hero's square, before being received in the Castle district at the residence of Ader with high military honours.
About the issue of the relocation of migrants within the European Union, Ader said that his country's position was well known, and underlined that the relocation failed in practice.
"According to Hungary, the borders of Europe must be protected, the migrants must be kept safe temporarily in their first country of arrival, and the conditions in their homeland must be insured, in order for them to get back to their homes as soon as possible," Ader explained, also adding that the migrants fleeing from terror and those seeking better economic opportunities needed to be dealt with separately.
Van der Bellen was elected in Austria in 2016, as an independent candidate backed by the Austrian Green party, whereas Ader had been re-elected by the Hungarian Parliament earlier this year for a second five-year term.
