N E W S L E T T E R
Republic of Hungary Budapest, 1394 . 423
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Telephone:36(1)156-8000
Press Department Telefax: 36(1) 156-3801
543/1994. Budapest, December 01, 1994
Hungarian Press Review
Budapest, November 30 (MTI) - Nepszava - THE safety parameters of
the Paks nuclear power plant come up to the American and West European
standards and are the best ones in Eastern Europe. As a consequence,
from next year the United States will no longer grant Hungary aid for the
purpose of increasing nuclear safety, US government officials told a
Hungarian delegation which attended the Washington symposium of the
American Nuclear Society (page 3).
Magyar Hirlap - Documents found in the Interior Ministry's archives
prove that one of the 386 MPs cooperated with the pre-1990 internal
security service, Jozsef Eigner, head of the committee vetting senior office-
holders, said. The committee has so far checked the past of 40 MPs. The
MP in question, whom Eigner declined to name, signed a document on
joining the service, prepared reports, and accepted rewards and other
advantages for them (page 1).
Nepszabadsag (picture report) - The Mercedes limousines which will
carry participants in the CSCE summit in Budapest on December 5-6 have
arrived in the Hungarian capital on double-decked Danube barges. During
the summit, luxury Mitsubishis will also be used (page 1).
Budapest, November 30 (MTI) - Nepszabadsag - The mysterious
radioactive container examined by Hungarian scientists over the past few
weeks proved to be empty. The container is supposed to have originated
from the reactor of a Russian nuclear submarine. When staff members of
the Central Research Institute for Physics opened the container, it became
clear that only its wall was radiating (page 1)
Kurir - A Swedish eyewitness, Anders Malmsten, reports on the
horror he experienced in Bihac. The escape of the man, who has been
staying in Bosnia as a EU observer since August, was little short of a
miracle (pages 1 and 7).
Nepszabadsag - In its Sunday session, the cabinet decided to cut the
staff of ministries and agencies financed from the central budget by 3,072.
The workforce cut will cost HUF 1.8 billion for the government budget, but it
will result in a saving in the long term (pages 1 and 4).
Nepszabadsag - The National Office for Compensation and
Restitution has completed preparations for putting an end to the
compensation process. The related documents will be handed over to the
minister of agriculture, which is in charge of compensation, today.
Expo 96 officially cancelled
Budapest, November 30, 1994 (MTI-ECONEWS) - On Tuesday, Ole
Philipson, president of the International Office of World Exhibitions (BIE),
told the press in Budapest that the 1996 Expo has been officially cancelled
and the next world exhibition will be held in 2005.
BIE fully understood the Hungarian government's decision, Mr
Philipson added. The Hungarian representative will officially announce the
cancellation on December 7 at the BIE's AGM.
During his July visit to Budapest, Mr Philipson considered the
financial situation of Expo 96 and the schedule of the preparation works
appropriate.
Government experts, however, calculated Expo would have cost the
central budget HUF 100bn, of which only one-third could have been
collected from Expo revenues.
CSCE Should Help Settle Conflicts in Eastern Europe, Horn Says
Bonn, November 30 (MTI) - "THE issue of minority rights is
inseparable from the question of war and peace in Central and Eastern
Europe," Hungarian Prime Minister Gyula Horn said in an interview carried
by Wednesday's "Suddeutsche Zeitung".
"Wherever minority rights are grossly violated, territorial claims
emerge at once, as recently in Yugoslavia," Horn said.
The prime minister wants to see the Council of Europe develop
minority protection codes including both obligations and sanctions.
Horn said the Hungarian government seeks to improve ties with
Romania and Slovakia so that the neighbours should take minority rights
seriously. Horn pressed for the Conference on Security and Cooperation in
Europe (CSCE) to play a role in preventing conflicts and to approve a
binding code of conduct. He added, "it is very difficult to keep the 54-
member CSCE together because its includes several new states which have
conflicts with each other."
Horn said, "Many Russian politicians still believe that NATO is
aggressive only because it is a military organization. For this reason, we
should convince Moscow that Hungary's admission to the North Atlantic
alliance would pose no danger to its security."
Regional Cooperation Indispensable - Kovacs
Budapest, November 30 (MTI) - HUNGARY - albeit indirectly - will be
represented at the forthcoming Essen summit conference of the European
Union, after President Francois Miterrand and Chancellor Helmut Kohl
decided on Tuesday evening that the Visegrad group of nations should be
invited and that their representatives would probably be informed about the
decisions taken at the EU summit at a working dinner, Hungarian Foreign
Minister Laszlo Kovacs announced in Letenye, western Hungary, where he
was attending a conference of leaders of the Hungarian counties in the
Alps-Adria Working Community.
As regards the role played by the working community, Kovacs said
that bilateral and multilateral international cooperation among counties and
regions were vital to the implementation of the three main objectives of
Hungarian foreign policy.
This system of contacts will largely help along the process of
preparing for integration with the European Union, and adapting the region
to the Union - ranging from the economic and educational background to
preparing the population. Therefore these counties must get appropriate
professional guidance and financial assistance from the Foreign Ministry
for inter-regional cooperation.
Kovacs told reporters later that since Hungary is the prospective
chairman of the CSCE he would try to put Hungary into the limelight to a
certain extent. In doing so he hoped that the international community could
get to know Hungary a little better. He noted that the upcoming Budapest
summit is expected to move the CSCE in the direction of preventing crises,
especially ethnic conflicts.
He said a peaceful normalization of the conflict in Karabakh would be
a touchstone as regards the capacity of the CSCE to act.
He said other priorities at the Budapest summit were the
coordination of the CSCE with currently functioning international security
and cooperation structures. "We would like the Budapest conference to
accept priority for CSCE action in conflict situations, and the conference to
only appeal to the Security Council if it is unable to solve a specific crisis
on its own.
Kovacs said that in addition to preparing the scheduled bilateral
talks between heads of state and government - as current chairman - he
would also meet senior officials from the countries of the UN, the EU, NATO
and the Mediterranean region during the two and half days of the Budapest
summit. He said that President Clinton would arrive in Budapest on Monday
morning, and return home later that afternoon.
Invitation from Kohl to Horn
Budapest, November 30 (MTI) - THE Hungarian Foreign Ministry
relayed the following communique to MTI on Wednesday:
Chancellor Helmut Kohl of the Federal Republic of Germany who is
chairman in office of the European Union addressed a letter to Prime
Minister Gyula Horn, inviting the Hungarian Prime minister and Foreign
minister to attend a meeting, on December 10, 1994, in the framework of the
Essen summit conference of the heads of state and government of the
European Union, and the subsequent working luncheon, where they will
have an opportunity to exchange views on the strategy to be adopted in
preparing for admission to the Union.
Apart from Hungary, the other five Central European countries,
signatories through associate agreements to the Europe Agreement, have
been invited to the summit, which will also be attended by the leaders of the
member states of the European Union, and those of Austria, Finland and
Sweden.
****************************************************************************
N E W S L E T T E R
Republic of Hungary Budapest, 1394 . 423
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Telephone:36(1)156-8000
Press Department Telefax: 36(1) 156-3801
544/1994. Budapest, December 02, 1994
Hungarian Press Review
Budapest, December 1 (MTI) - ALL papers - The disclosure of the first
conclusions of the committee responsible for checking into whether senior
office-holders, including MPs, had cooperated with the pre-1990 internal
security service has created a stir in Hungary. "Nepszabadsag" asked the
speaker of Parliament, the interior minister and a state secretary of justice
about the affair. All three politicians blamed the judge heading the vetting
committee for the information leak. "To protect the personal rights of those
vetted, all stages of the process should be classified," Interior Minister
Gabor Kuncze said (pages 1 and 4).
"Magyar Hirlap" quoted a member of Parliament's Committee of
National Security as saying the judges are not authorized to publicize any
information. Their jurisdiction is limited to calling upon those concerned to
resign (pages 1 and 5).
In "Uj Magyarorszag" the judge in question rejected the charge of
indiscretion. The paper carried the names of the 40 MPs who have already
been vetted by the committee (pages 1 and 4).
In "Magyar Nemzet" the deputy parliamentary leader of the
Hungarian Socialist Party (HSP) said the parliamentary group has not yet
dealt with the "agent law". "I have no information that the judge's statement
of having found a former secret agent among the 40 MPs referred to a
Socialist politician," she said (page 5).
Budapest, December 1 (MTI) - MAGYAR Hirlap - Since the Engine
Drivers Trade Union (EDTU) does not wish to make a political issue out of
the railwaymen's wage demands, it has rejected the idea of timing a strike
for the two-day CSCE summit in Budapest, EDTU president Janos Borsik
said. In his view, the government mistakenly failed to envisage pay rises in
its plan for consolidation of railway finances. Borsik said if the railwaymen
failed to attain their aims, they would start next year with another strike. (A
warning strike is planned for December 8, and a general, 36-hour railway
strike for December 12-14.) He added, however, that there is a large chance
for compromise. (page 1).
Kurir - The paper's special supplement for ladies presents Prime
Minister Gyula Horn as a common man, who jogs or swims in the morning,
is a good cook, likes rock music and shares the problem of what to buy his
wife for Christmas (page 15).
Nepszava - For the first time, the German ARD TV is to hold its
Europe Prize awarding ceremony abroad, in Budapest on December 3, and
grant the prize to an East European pop musician. The paper carries an
interview with Zoran Sztevanovity, the awardee.
Official EU talks will not begin until 1997
Budapest, December 1, 1994 (MTI-ECONEWS) - Official talks
regarding Hungary's entry to the European Union (EU) will not begin before
1997, president of the Office of European Affairs and state secretary, Endre
Juhasz, told business daily, "Napi", after recent talks in Brussels.
At the end of last week, the Hungarian-EU Association amended
Hungary's textile agreement with the EU. Mr Juhasz says this was a result
of additional EFTA countries joining the association - Hungary's quotas of
textile exports to the EU are to increase on January 1, 1995, by an average
of 28pc in the case of products using Hungarian materials and commission
work quotas by 13pc.
Currently, the Brussels committee is not authorized to sign any
formal international agreements concerning agricultural produce, but in
line with GATT's Uruguay Round, Hungary will introduce a new import duty
system on January 1, 1995 which will include preferences on EU products.
The EU Association also approved regulations regarding competition and
discussed criticisms of Hungary's quality control system.
The EU will complete a "White Book" by June, 1995 which will
include advice and proposals for Hungary to gradually move on-line with
EU regulations. Mr Juhasz said Hungary's application for a loan of ECU 2bn
has not been taken off the agenda.
Socialist International Committees Meet in Budapest
Budapest, December 1 (MTI) - IN preparation for Friday's Budapest
plenary session of the Socialist International (SI), the world's oldest and
currently largest international political organization, certain SI committees
held a working session in the Buda Royal Castle.
The SI's Committee for Central and Eastern Europe discussed,
behind closed doors, the position of social democracy in the region.
The Financial and Administrative Committee met to decide whether
the body should propose the admission of the Hungarian Socialist Party
and the Social Democratic Party of Hungary, which presently hold an
observer status in the organization.
The SI's Middle East Committee also held a session during the day.
The committees will present their recommendations to the plenary
session of the SI.
The conference will be formally opened on Friday by Prime Minister
Gyula Horn and SI President Pierre Mauroy.
The two-day plenary meeting will be attended by over a hundred
socialist, social democratic and workers parties.
The main topic on the agenda will be the situation of social
democracy in Central and Eastern Europe, with discussions on how to
bring efforts to boost democracy into line with the development of an
effective economy and the promotion of social justice.
Besides Central European themes, participants at the session,
including several politicians of international renown, will deal with
conditions in the Middle East, Mozambique, Angola, Rwanda and Haiti.
Miguel Angel Martinez, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of
the Council of Europe, is already in Budapest. Further guests expected to
arrive this evening or Friday morning are Austrian Chancellor Franz
Vranitzky, Rudolph Scharping on behalf of the German social democrats,
Dutch Foreign Minister Hans van den Broek and Shimon Peres of the Israeli
Labour Party. It is still unclear on what level the Palestinians will be
represented.
CSCE Summit Programme Completed
Budapest, December 1 (MTI) - ALTHOUGH discussions relating to the
final document are likely to continue until the last minute, the programme
for the Summit Meeting of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in
Europe (CSCE) is complete.
According to the timetable, the plenary session of heads of states
and governments will begin in the Budapest Convention Centre at 9 a.m.
local time on Monday, December 5.
After a brief greeting from Hungarian President Arpad Goncz,
Hungarian Prime Minister Gyula Horn will give an opening address.
Following this, the representative from Italy, the outgoing holder of
the CSCE's rotating presidency, will deliver a speech. This will be followed
by an address from United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-
Ghali.
The next speaker will be CSCE Parliamentary Assembly President
Frank Swaelen.
Later in the morning, with Germany in the chair, it is planned to
continue the plenary session with addresses by the leaders of Albania,
Russia, Bulgaria, Canada, Sweden, Uzbekistan, Belgium, Lithuania, Cyprus,
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Finland, Ukraine, Norway, Poland, Hungary and the
United States.
This order may be changed, primarily depending on the time of
arrival of President Clinton.
Around noon, there will be an interval in order to take a "family
photo" of those attending.
The Hungarian prime minister will host a working luncheon for the
heads of states and governments at the Hotel Hilton.
The plenary session will continue at 4 p.m. local time, with Turkey in
the chair.
According to the preliminary programme, addresses will also be
given by the representatives of Austria, Turkmenistan, San Marino,
Denmark, Germany, Monaco, Malta and Slovenia.
In the next round of the plenary session, Lithuania will be in the chai
r
and those expected to contribute to that round include the delegates from
Byelorussia, Romania, France, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Estonia and
Armenia.
* *
Budapest, December 1 (MTI) - MONDAY's programme will be concluded
by a gala dinner and a reception for the heads of state and heads of
government, to be hosted by President Arpad Goncz in the Parliament
building.
Simultaneously with this, Foreign Minister Laszlo Kovacs will give a
dinner in honour of his counterparts at the Budapest Ethnographic
Museum.
The Ethnographic Museum will also be the venue for the evening
reception to be given on behalf of the Hungarian government for all the
delegates at the CSCE summit.
The Summit Meeting of the Conference on Security and Cooperation
in Europe will continue at 9 a.m. local time on December 6, with Cyprus in
the chair.
According to the programme, addresses will be delivered by the
political leaders of Moldova, Slovakia, Turkey, Luxembourg, Azerbaidzan,
Tadzhikistan, Liechtenstein, the Czech Republic, Greece, Ireland and
Portugal.
It is planned that Cyprus will hand over the chair to Estonia, with the
representatives of the Vatican, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Georgia, Croatia,
Kazakhstan, Latvia, Kirghizistan, Iceland and Macedonia to speak next.
The final plenary session of the summit will be held around 1 p.m.
local time, and then the delegations will sum up the results of the meeting
to the press.
Ambassador Istvan Gyarmati, head of the Hungarian delegation, said
that intense work was going on to prepare the final document.
On Monday, the ambassador, speaking at an international press
conference, said he hoped that the final document representing the joint
will of the member states would have taken its final shape by the time the
summit begins. But there are differences of opinion on 7-8 issues, he
added.
* *
AMONG the major problems are peacekeeping, particularly as
regards the composition of peacekeeping forces, the role of a so-called
third party, the evaluation of the situation in Yugoslavia, the situation in
Karabach, the future of the CSCE, and its structural development.
The search for an agreement on the so-called code of conduct is
expected to last until the last minute.
The final document will be dozens of pages long, and if agreement is
reached by the beginning of the summit, the heads of CSCE member states
are expected to approve it on Monday, December 5.
The document will not be signed by the heads of state and heads of
government attending the summit, but this has no significance in
international law, since the approval of those attending the Meeting is
sufficient to produce a valid agreement.
Government Asks Budapest Residents Not to Drive Cars During CSCE
Summit
Budapest, December 1 (MTI) - THE Hungarian government has turned
to the residents of Budapest with a request because of the traffic problems
that are expected to occur due to the Summit Meeting of the Conference on
Security and Cooperation in Europe, on December 5-6.
The government has asked the inhabitants of Budapest to use, as far
as is possible, public transport, primarily the underground, instead of their
cars during these two days.
This is the first time that Hungary has hosted such a large-scale
international event. The opportunity to organize this summit meeting is a
great privilege and is a sign of the confidence other nations have in the
Republic of Hungary, says the request which government spokesperson
Evelyn Forro forwarded to the representatives of the press on Thursday.
U.S.-Hungarian Extradition Treaty and Agreement on Legal
Assistance Signed
Budapest, December 1 (MTI) - AN agreement on mutual legal
assistance in the fight against crime and an extradition treaty were signed
at the Hungarian Ministry of Justice on Thursday, by Hungarian Minister of
Justice Pal Vastagh and Ronald M. Blinken, U.S. ambassador extraordinary
and plenipotentiary to Budapest.
The treaty and the agreement will come into force after the official
documents of confirmation have been exchanged by the two states.
The agreement on legal assistance in crime prevention is the first of
its kind between Hungary and the United States.
The extradition treaty, however, has had a predecessor. There is an
extradition treaty still in force in Hungary which was signed in 1856 by the
United States and Austria, which Hungary accepted as binding after the
Austro-Hungarian Monarchy came into existence. This is Hungary's oldest
extradition treaty.
The new extradition treaty will be applicable to practically all crimin
al
cases except those considered as purely political or military crimes by the
state receiving a request for extradition.
CSCE Officials Hold Emergency Session
Budapest, December 1 (MTI) - THE committee comprising senior
officials of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe made a
promise to the delegations of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia at its
Thursday session that during the CSCE summit meeting next week high-
level talks will be held on the situation in Bosnia, with special regard to the
consequences of the fighting in the Bihac region.
This was announced by Mahir Hadziahmetovic, head of the
delegation from Bosnia-Herzegovina, and by Darko Bekic, head of the
Croatian delegation, at a press conference on Thursday evening.
Both politicians voiced their dissatisfaction with the decision passed
on Thursday, which they believe does not condemn the aggressor strongly
enough.
In the document, the CSCE's senior officials call the attention of the
participants of the Budapest Review Conference to the situation in Bosnia-
Herzegovina, and more particularly to that in Bihac.
They also recommend the sending of a fact-finding mission to
examine on the spot the condition of the civilian population and to
determine whether there have been any human rights violations.
The heads of delegation explained that they had originally proposed
that a document dealing exclusively with Bosnia-Herzegovina and Bihac
should be approved by the participants at the summit but no promise has
been made about this.
They also said they were disappointed because, as they put it, the
CSCE seems to be waiting for others to settle the problems in former
Yugoslavia.
The two diplomats said that the CSCE's current attitude will be
considered by the smaller nations as indicative of how much they will be
able to count on this organization in the future.
The two delegations ask for nothing more from the CSCE than that it
put its own principles into practice in former Yugoslavia.
* *
Budapest, December 1 (MTI) - THE Bosnian and Croatian politicians
could not confirm the unofficial information received by MTI that at the
CSCE summit there would be a meeting of Croatian President Franjo
Tudjman, Bosnian President Alia Izetbegovic and Serb President Slobodan
Milosevic, as according to certain reports the French and British foreign
ministers will suggest at the weekend.
According to the Croatian diplomat, such suggestions are an
expression of impotence and such a meeting would only have sense if
there were a proposal worth discussing.
The above-mentioned countries, the Bosnian diplomat said, would
like to present Milosevic as a peacemaker but in reality it is he who is
behind the aggression.
The heads of the delegations criticized the leadership of the United
Nations peacekeeping forces and said they would have no objection if
these troops were withdrawn since they cannot carry out their duties and
indeed, their presence in some cases encourages aggression.
In reply to a question, they said they had not repeated their proposal
to postpone the CSCE summit because of the situation in Bihac.
The reason for this was that the most influential countries have not
reacted to their initiative, so they saw little chance for a postponement, the
delegation heads explained.
Russian Doubts Must Be Dispelled, Says Horn
Budapest, December 1 (MTI) - HUNGARIAN Prime Minister Gyula
Horn said in a TV interview on Thursday evening that it was very important
to dispel Russian doubts about Hungary's intentions in joining NATO.
He said Russia must be convinced through negotiations that this is a
sovereign Hungarian decision which does not endanger its security.
Obviously this question will be one of the central topics in talks with
President Boris Yeltsin planned for Sunday, he added.
The Hungarian president will hold bilateral talks with some 18-20
political leaders at the Budapest CSCE summit.
*****************************************************************************
N E W S L E T T E R
Republic of Hungary Budapest, 1394 . 423
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Telephone:36(1)156-8000
Press Department Telefax: 36(1) 156-3801
545/1994. Budapest, December 05, 1994
Magyar Hirlap: Horn Considers Government Reshuffle
Budapest, Dec 3 (MTI) - "IT is conceivable that some persons will be
replaced in the government in the near future," Hungarian Prime Minister
Gyula Horn said in Saturday's issue of the political daily Magyar Hirlap.
Horn confirmed his intention to this effect in a statement he gave in a
recess of the Socialist International Council session on Friday.
The prime minister refused to give details about which ministries
might be affected by a planned reshuffle. He also kept quiet about the
number of places where changes might be effected.
"We learnt from sources close to the government unofficially
yesterday," wrote Magyar Hirlap, "that the changes could affect the Ministry
of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Justice. According to our
information Gyula Horn is not satisfied with the activities of these two
ministries headed by Laszlo Pal and Pal Vastagh (both are socialist
ministers). If a government reshuffle affects a Free Democrat minister, the
most probable assumption is that the prime minister will initiate the
departure of Gabor Fodor, the minister of culture and public education. In
recent weeks Gyula Horn joined other socialist politicians in repeatedly
describing work at the ministry as too slow," Magyar Hirlap.
PRIME Minister Horn stressed the significance of the Budapest
summit of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe for
Hungary.
"In addition, the Republic of Hungary will become the chairman of
the CSCE next year, and this represents more opportunities in building
ties", he added.
Asked about whom he would hold separate negotiations with at the
summit, Horn said: the series of meetings will start with President Boris
Yeltsin of Russia who initiated the meeting himself.
Among others bilateral relations and economic cooperation will be
on the agenda... I will also have talks with the French, Italian and Spanish
prime ministers and with Helmut Kohl. I will confirm to the German
chancellor that Hungary considers forging closer Hungarian-German links
as an issue of prime importance, since Germany has proved with deeds its
commitment to the Central Eastern European transformation in general and
particularly towards Hungary."
Asked by Magyar Hirlap about whom Hungary - for the time being
neither a member of NATO nor of the European Union - looks upon as its
main ally in a bid to preserve its security, Prime Minister Horn said: "We are
in a particular position, because in our external environment we have no
enemies, and our aspirations are in many respects identical with the
intentions of neighbouring states. The best security policy is historical
reconciliation which is a policy line we advocate: Hungary has no territorial
revisionist demands, and our plans for integration, proceeding from their
nature, are not directed against others. I sincerely hope that Hungary's role
will grow because of the CSCE summit in the region in particular and in
Europe in general and not only to our benefit."
Socialist International Ends Session
Budapest, December 3 (MTI) - THE Socialist International (SI) Council
held a two-day session in Budapest on December 2-3, attended by
representatives of about 100 socialist, social democratic and workers"
parties. Since it was the first SI session in East Central Europe, it analyzed
the situation of social democracy in the region.
On Saturday, the delegates heard the reports put forward by SI
committees, discussed proposals, and approved a final declaration.
In a closed session in the morning, the SI Council proposed the
admission of the Hungarian Socialist Party (HSP) as a full member. The
final decision on the matter will be made by the 1996 SI congress.
In the subsequent open plenary session SI Secretary-General Luis
Ayala expressed thanks to the Hungarian Socialists for hosting the session,
which he said had given an impetus to the work of the organization.
Ayala indicated the need for changing the SI's status in the United
Nations so that the Socialists could express their opinion more markedly in
the world organization.
In his closing address, SI President Pierre Mauroy said, "The left-
wing people of the world used to be governed by Utopian ideas. The
collapse of communism, however, proved it clearly that the economy could
not be directed from behind writing-desks."
Mauroy emphasized that the socialists, just as the capitalists, need a
market economy but in another form. They advocate a social market
economy based on solidarity. In the SI president's view, these values will
play a determining role in the 21st century.
In a subsequent press conference, SI leaders and Hungarian Foreign
Minister Laszlo Kovacs held an international press conference.
The SI leaders stressed that Budapest was an important stage in the
history of the Socialist International. "The Hungarian capital is a symbol of
the victory of socialist and social democratic ideals. For this reason, it was
a kind of message that the SI Council held its session just in this city," they
said.
THE SI leaders added, "earlier, the Central and Eastern European
nations seemed to have rejected social democracy and have flown to the
arms of the right wing. Today, however, a growing number of them opt for a
scale of values based on social justice and equal chances."
Besides the HSP, the SI is going to admit the Slovak and Slovenian
socialists, and grant observer status to two Polish parties and the
Macedonian social democrats.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Laszlo Kovacs said he was satisfied with
the session. He expressed pleasure over the fact that the SI had chosen
Budapest for the venue of the event. "This step indicated the SI's interest in
the region." The minister welcomed that the HSP had been practically
admitted to the organization. "The fact that other left-wing parties in the
region will also be admitted reflects that the SI will no longer consider
whether a democratic left-wing party looks back on a historical past or was
founded only a few years ago."
The minister stressed Hungary's strategic goal of full integration into
the Euro-Atlantic institutions. "The foreign socialist parties which are in
power in a number of European country may promote this effort," he said.
In reply to a question by MTI, Mauroy said, "Hungary should be
integrated not only into the European institutions but even on global level.
The HSP's full membership in the SI implies membership of other
organizations, too. All this helps the country take a more active part in
international political life and decision-making."
Asked about the expected date of peace in the Middle East, Israeli
Foreign Minister Shimon Peres declined to give any comment but said, "we
are on the right track."
"If we wish to eliminate the roots of terrorism, we must prevent the
potential terrorists from seeing any reason for action. The activity of Hamas
is motivated by popular discontent. For this reason, we must eliminate the
sources of discontent.
Asked about the Bosnian crisis, SI President Pierre Mauroy said that
not only a military solution would be required.
In conclusion Mauroy asked Kovacs to convey the SI's condolence
to the Hungarian Prime Minister because of the railway disaster that
occurred at Szajol (Central Hungary) yesterday.
Train Crash Caused by Negligence
Budapest, December 3 (MTI) - THE Friday train accident in Szajol
(Central Hungary), in which 29 people died and 52 were injured, was caused
by human negligence, local police spokesman Gyorgy Lengyel told the
press in Szolnok today.
The express train, travelling from Nyiregyhaza in eastern Hungary to
Budapest, arrived at the station at 16.45 p.m. on Friday. At the points some
of its carriages derailed and one them slammed into the station building
and a nearby house.
Police has arrested, and launched criminal proceedings against, a
pointsman and a yard master who are suspected of having committed a
crime against traffic safety and causing a mass catastrophe.
The victims have been identified. All of them were Hungarians,
except Gyula Kujbini Diala, an Ukrainian citizen.
The accident caused an estimated damage of HUF 250 million.
Railway traffic has been resumed.
Today, the rescue operations were seen by President Arpad Goncz
and Prime Minister Gyula Horn. The prime minister announced that the
government would provide an emergency aid of HUF 500,000 for the family
of each victim, and grant HUF 20 million to those injured. Later on, both
politicians visited the injured in the hospital.
Hungarian FM Meets Christopher
Budapest, December 4 (MTI) - ON Sunday afternoon Hungarian
Foreign Minister Laszlo Kovacs held talks with U.S. Secretary of State
Warren Christopher, who arrived in Budapest to attend the CSCE summit
on December 5-6.
After the talks, Christopher told reporters that they had exchanged
views on European security policy issues and Hungarian-U.S. relations
which he described as excellent.
Kovacs said he had informed his counterpart about Hungary's
strategic goal of joining the European Union, the Western European Union
and NATO.
The foreign minister emphasized Hungary's determination to become
a member of NATO. He welcomed that the North Atlantic alliance had made
the first concrete step towards the integration of the eastern and central
European states when the NATO foreign ministers decided to start
consultations on the terms of the admission of new members. Kovacs also
welcomed that NATO aimed to establish an integrated Europe and did not
wish to see again a divided continent. He quoted Christopher as saying that
NATO strives for resolute, gradual and transparent enlargement.
U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher and Hungarian Foreign
Minister Laszlo Kovacs exchanged views on Russia's approach to the
enlargement of NATO. Kovacs said, "it would be undesirable if Russia felt
itself isolated and threatened. At the same time, Russia should not have a
right of veto in this affair."
The two politicians agreed that NATO's Partnership for Peace
programme and Russia's place in the CSCE would create a chance for
Moscow to play an appropriate role in creating a pan-European security
architecture, even if it does not join NATO.
Concerning Russia's recent refusal to sign the Partnership for Peace
programme, Christopher and Kovacs shared the view that it was not the
last word of Moscow. The U.S. Secretary of State said his recent talks with
Russian Foreign Minister Andrey Kozyrev had deepened this impression.
Kovacs said, "should Russia decide to stay away from peace partnership, it
would put itself in a difficult position and actually risk being isolated."
The foreign minister told his U.S. counterpart that Hungary
considered the PfP programme as an excellent chance of preparations for
NATO membership.
"Hungary's efforts to settle its relationship with its neighbours are
also part and parcel of these preparations. This is all the more important
because the fundamental documents of NATO require all applicants for
membership to contribute to the security and stability of their region,"
Kovacs said. He added that Christopher had agreed with Hungary's
endeavour for integration and its views on the admission of new members
to NATO.
CSCE - Hungarian-Ukrainian Presidential Meeting
Budapest, December 4 (MTI) - HUNGARIAN President Arpad Goncz
on Sunday met Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, who arrived in
Budapest to attend the CSCE summit on December 5-6.
Goncz welcomed that Ukraine had agreed to sign the nuclear Non-
Proliferation Treaty, and expressed satisfaction over the fact that the
memorandum including security guarantees for Ukraine would be signed in
Budapest, the president's spokesman, Andras Farago, told MTI.
Goncz said the memorandum would greatly contribute to the
stabilization of Ukraine and Central Europe as a whole, and may have a
favourable impact on the Russian-Ukrainian relationship, to which Hungary
is not indifferent.
Goncz said that bilateral political contacts were free of problems and
the two countries should now focus their efforts on developing their
economic ties. President Kuchma pressed for removing all obstacles to
economic cooperation. He said the two countries should sign an agreement
on the elimination of double taxation as soon as possible, and asked for
Hungarian assistance in developing Ukraine's banking and financial sector.
The two presidents agreed that the CSCE should concentrate its
efforts on preventing rather than managing conflicts.
CSCE - Goncz Meets Boutros-Ghali
Budapest, December 4 (MTI) - MEETING UN Secretary-General
Boutros Boutros-Ghali today, Hungarian President Arpad Goncz said
Hungary paid distinguished attention to the United Nations and supported
the secretary-general's efforts to renew the organization and protect
international peace and stability, the president's spokesman Andras Farago
told reporters tonight.
Goncz said Hungary expected the forthcoming European summit to
open a new chapter in relations between the CSCE and the United Nations.
During the term of Hungary as CSCE chairman-in-office, the Hungarian
foreign minister will make personal efforts to deepen cooperation between
the CSCE and the United Nations, Goncz said.
The Hungarian president expressed the hope that the United Nations
would make further efforts to prevent conflicts and crises. "Although the
appropriate methods and means of peacekeeping are not yet available, the
United Nations should act resolutely and immediately in the interest of
peacekeeping, if need be," Goncz said. The UN secretary-general agreed
with this position.
CSCE - Horn Meets Iliescu
Budapest, December 4 (MTI) - HUNGARIAN Prime Minister Gyula
Horn and Romanian President Ion Iliescu held negotiations in Budapest
tonight. Before the genuine talks, Horn said in the presence of reporters he
was glad to meet the Romanian president because they had quite a few
topics to discuss. After the talks, both politicians declined to make any
comment.
Government Spokesperson Evelyn Forro told MTI that the meeting
lasted for 70 minutes. "The details will likely be disclosed by Horn in the
closing press conference of the CSCE summit," she said.
CSCE - Hungarian-Russian Talks
Budapest, December 4 (MTI) - HUNGARIAN Prime Minister Gyula
Horn tonight held talks with Russian President Boris Yeltsin, who arrived in
Budapest to attend the CSCE summit on December 5-6. The meeting was
attended by the two foreign ministers, Laszlo Kovacs and Andrey Kozyrev.
Following the talks, Horn and Yeltsin declined to make any comment
for the press. Later on tonight, the two foreign ministers held an
unscheduled tete-a-tete consultation.
Summing up the Hungarian-Russian talks, Kovacs told reporters that
they had been marked by a friendly atmosphere. The two countries" leaders
agreed that bilateral relations are free from unsettled problems, and
pressed for intensifying economic cooperation.
In reply to a question by MTI, Kovacs said that Hungary and Russia
held similar views on the CSCE. Meeting Kozyrev, the Hungarian foreign
minister said Hungary held it important for European integration to be
extended to the East. "Hungary interprets integration in its complexity,
taking its political, economic, military and security dimensions into
account. Its strategic goal is to integrate itself into the European
institutions, including the European Union, the Western European Union
and NATO," Kovacs said.
"Kozyrev expressed his concerns about the planned enlargement of
NATO and its eventual political consequences within Russia," Kovacs said.
*****************************************************************
A tovabbterjesztest a New York-i szekhelyu Magyar Emberi Jogok
Alapitvany tamogatja.
[*] [*] [*] [*] [*][*] [*][*][*]
[*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*]
[*][*][*] [*][*][*] [*][*] [*][*]
[*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*]
[*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*]
Reposting is supported by Hungarian Human Rights Foundation News
and Information Service.
*****************************************************************
|
