EGYPT, THE LARGEST COUNTRY IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN—INTERVIEW WITH HE PÉTER KVECK FORMER AMBASSADOR OF HUNGARY TO EGYPT, PRESENTLY DIRECTOR GENERAL AT THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE
Lukács Krajcsír, February 2021, Budapest we work together. Besides, Egypt is an ancient civilisation, a fascinating, vibrant country that offers a lot to explore and to discover. Moreover, Egyptians are very warm-hearted, friendly, and open people, similarly to Hungarians.
Your Excellency, first of all, can you tell us a few words about your diplomatic career? What attracts you the most in Egypt? Becoming a diplomat has been my dream since my early youth. Learning about other countries, cultures, and peoples, communicating with them in their languages, and serving my country at the same time have always attracted me very much. Diplomacy to me is not only my work but also my hobby and passion. I have been a Hungarian diplomat for more than two decades, and it makes me very proud. Concerning Egypt, I would say it is a country of opportunities for Hungary in terms of political, business, and cultural cooperation. There are many areas where both countries can benefit if 14
INTERVIEWS
Egypt is marking the 10th anniversary of the 2011 revolution in January. As an ambassador, what were your experiences about the “Arab Spring”? What kind of challenges did Hungarian diplomacy face back then? Has the revolution changed the life of Egyptians? To be honest, I do not like the term “Arab Spring,” nor do Egyptians, by the way. There were certainly legitimate aspirations for a better life and democracy. Unfortunately, these noble and understandable wishes were very soon misused by some extremist forces to follow their own political agenda and the country fell into chaos and disorder. The revolution of 2013 corrected the wrong course and put the country back on track and helped it return to its natural development. Hungarian diplomacy took the right decision at the right time. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was the first European leader who congratulated President Sisi on his electoral victory in 2014 and who invited him to pay an official visit to his country. This visit took place in 2015. The Hungarian–Egyptian relations have been on a fast-track development since then. In 2020, a completely new problem arose in the world: the COVID-19 virus. How
