BEIRUT, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said here on Wednesday that Hungary opened a line of credit worth 41 million euros (46 million U.S. dollars), local media reported.

Szijjarto's remarks came during his visit to Lebanon when meeting with Lebanese Economy Minister Mansour Bteish to discuss bilateral ties, Elnashra, an online independent newspaper reported.

The move of opening the line of credit aims to fund common projects for Lebanese and Hungarian businessmen, Szijjarto said.

The two ministers discussed ways of boosting economic, tourism and cultural ties in addition to the possibility of starting direct flights between Beirut and Budapest to facilitate transport between Europe and the region.

Szijjarto and Bteish emphasized the need for an economic committee to adopt a strategy that would activate trade and investments in the two countries.

Szijjarto also met with Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil to discuss the need to facilitate visa procedures between the two countries.

Bassil emphasized the need for Syrian refugees to return to their homeland.

"We discussed ways of promoting the idea of the refugees' return to their homeland because we are convinced that money is being spent by the international community to keep them in host countries instead of facilitating their return to Syria," Bassil said during a joint press conference for the two ministers.

Szijjarto said his country is ready to help Lebanon on the international level to secure the return of refugees to their homeland.

The Hungarian minister arrived in Lebanon on Wednesday for a one-day official visit to launch the completion of the first phase of the renovation of 31 churches all over Lebanon funded by the Hungarian government worth 1.68 million dollars. Enditem

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