OMRI DAILY DIGEST
No. 91, 11 May 1995

HOLBROOKE IN SLOVAKIA. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard
Holbrooke arrived in Slovakia on 10 May for a one-day visit to discuss
ratification of the Slovak-Hungarian treaty and Slovakia's integration
into NATO and the EU. He met with President Michal Kovac, Premier
Vladimir Meciar, and representatives of the opposition. At a press
conference after his meeting with Kovac, Holbrooke refused to comment on
recent political developments in Slovakia, saying he did not want to
interfere in the country's internal affairs. The parliament on 5 May
passed a vote of no confidence in Kovac. While Meciar is pressuring
Kovac to resign, the opposition has expressed support for the president.
Hungarian Christian Democratic Movement representatives on 10 May said
Kovac would be making "a big mistake" if he considered resigning.
Meanwhile, the Conference of Bishops of Slovakia published a statement
in Narodna obroda on 11 May expressing "full support for and trust" in
the president. -- Sharon Fisher, OMRI, Inc.

HUNGARY PASSES PRIVATIZATION BILL. The Hungarian parliament on 9 May
passed the long-awaited bill on privatization, Hungarian and Western
media reported. The new law merges the two existing privatization
agencies and outlines plans to sell most state-owned firms. Under the
law, the government will decide on the privatization of banks, financial
institutions, and large companies, while the privatization of medium-
sized and small companies will fall under the jurisdiction of the
privatization agency. A new 11-member board, composed of representatives
of parliament parties, the government, and employers and employees, will
supervise the privatization agency. Some opposition politicians and
economists have criticized the law for not making the privatization
process more transparent and for failing to give the parliament adequate
powers to oversee the process. They also expressed fears that the
government might use the supervisory board to interfere in the
privatization process. -- Edith Oltay, OMRI, Inc.

[As of 12:00 CET]

Compiled by Jan Cleave

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A tovabbterjesztest a New York-i szekhelyu Magyar Emberi Jogok
Alapitvany tamogatja.

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Reposting is supported by Hungarian Human Rights Foundation News
and Information Service.
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Thursday, 11 May 1995
Volume 2, Issue 91


REGIONAL NEWS
-------------

**SERBS RELEASE HUMANITARIANS**
  Five aid workers held by Bosnian Serbs for more than two months
  were released in Hungary yesterday.  They arrived in France
  later in the day, where one of them said they'd been well
  treated.  The five members of Pharmacists without Borders, or
  PSF, four Frenchmen and an American, were flown by a French
  government plane from Budapest to the headquarters of PSF in
  central France.  The men were seized March 4 near Sarajevo
  after delivering medicine.  The five were held in a Sarajevo
  suburb on charges of aiding the enemy.  They were released
  Tuesday and taken to Serbia by the Bosnian Serbs. The French
  envoy to Belgrade handed them over to his counterpart in
  Budapest at the Hungarian border.  PSF paid about $7,000 for
  the release of each prisoner.


**GYPSY VOICE FIGHTS TO BE HEARD**
  The International Romany Union (IRU), an international Gypsy
  organization, is holding a Congress of Peace in Budapest this
  week.  More than 50 speakers have come from all over Europe
  and the United States to attend various workshops on topics
  like "War and Everyday Life" and "Law and Justice".  Rajko
  Djuric is president of the IRU.  He wants the Congress to
  focus on Gypsy casualties of the war in the former Yugoslavia.

  "Many Romanies have been lost, killed or have run away from
  Yugoslavia.  Nobody looks at the Roma victims.  We do a lot of
  politics in the Romany Union, but we don't have real political
  power."

  Organizations like the National Commission for War Crimes in
  Bosnia, Citzens' Initiatives in Europe and Circle 99 fighting
  for peace in Bosnia, are also taking part in the conference. A
  delegation from the Congress for Peace leaves for Sarajevo
  today. --Ella Veres


**IF IT'S IN PRINT IT MUST BE TRUE**
  According to a new survey by the British Consumers'
  Association, Hungary, Poland and South Africa are currently
  the most dangerous countries to visit.  More than one in 20
  tourists in those countries is attacked, according to a survey
  of 16,000 readers of the association's magazine Holiday Which.
  Next on the danger list are Gambia and Morocco.  The
  magazine's editor, Patricia Yates, said the figures for
  violence and robbery are high in former Soviet bloc countries
  but rates of injury are low.  Despite recent bad publicity
  about a spate of muggings in the U.S. "Sunshine State", only
  0.3 percent of those surveyed reported being robbed in
  Florida.  The Netherlands and Belgium topped the poll as the
  safest countries for tourists.


**US PUSHING HUNGARIAN-SLOVAK RELATIONS**
  The US Assistant Secretary of State for European affairs is
  urging Hungary and Slovakia to ratify their basic treaty as
  soon as possible.  Richard Holbrooke made that statement
  yesterday after meeting with Slovak Prime Minister Vladimir
  Meciar in Bratislava.  Holbrooke said the agreement is "a
  vital part of creating a stable security framework in central
  Europe".  The treaty has languished in Hungary's and
  Slovakia's Parliaments as deputies debate its ratification
  almost two months after it was signed by their prime
  ministers.  The pact covers minority rights and border issues
  and has been hailed as a way of easing tensions which have
  intensified between Budapest and Bratislava since the breakup
  of the former Czechoslovakia in 1993.


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A tovabbterjesztest a New York-i szekhelyu Magyar Emberi Jogok
Alapitvany tamogatja.

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Reposting is supported by Hungarian Human Rights Foundation News
and Information Service.
*****************************************************************



*********************************************************** 
Sajnos a Kulugyminiszterium a hirkozlemenyeket nem naponta, 
hanem nagyobb idokozonkent, nagyobb mennyisegbe tovabbitja. 
Igy elnezest kerek a rendszertelen es az oriasi terje-
delmu tovabbterjesztesert, ami valojaban nem az en hibam. 

Buchwald Amy
***********************************************************


N E W S L E T T E R

from the Daily Bulletin of the Hungarian News Agency MTI
distributed by the Department for Press and International Information
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Hungary

H-1394, Budapest P.O.B. 423.
Telephone: 36 (1) 156-8000
Telefax: 36 (1) 156-3801
No. 83/1995                                                             27 Apri
l 1995

Prime Minister Horn's Address in Strasbourg

        Strasbourg, April 26 (MTI) - The Council of Europe and the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, now under Hungarian
chairmanship, ought to search for ways of making joint initiatives. Thus, for
instance, the two organizations ought to examine whether a state of law
prevails in Rump Yugoslavia and they could also explore the possibilities of
a joint initiative leading to a suspension of sanctions.
        If we could break the deadlock, it would exert a beneficial effect on
the leadership of Rump Yugoslavia so that it could take effective action to
isolate the aggressors, said Hungarian Prime Minister Gyula Horn in a
speech he delivered at a session of the parliamentary assembly of the
Council of Europe in Strasbourg today.
        Horn paid tribute to the role played by the Council of Europe and said:
        "The norms represented by the Council of Europe have gained
fundamental acceptance in our region, although serious violations of law still
occur. Therefore it is important to reinforce the monitoring system and
impose more severe sanctions, he said.
        Horn added that Hungary has not only fulfilled the commitments it
undertook in the Council of Europe to defend national minorities, it has
moved beyond this in an exemplary fashion by establishing a system of
autonomous local governing bodies and passing legislation on the
protection of national minorities. "
        In his speech Horn dealt with the close links between Hungary and
the Council of Europe, evidenced by the fact that Hungary has signed 47 of
the approximately 150 conventions elaborated by the Council.
        With regard to the further advancement of the Council, Prime Minister
Horn said that Hungary believes that with regard to the admission of Russia
and Ukraine, these countries should be treated with trust, which would, of
course, go hand in hand with an enhanced monitoring of all the
commitments undertaken.
        The speech was followed by questions from the members present.
        Horn said that recommendation 1201, passed earlier by the
parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe (and as he put it, still
considered valid by the assembly) continues to be the key issue in the
Hungarian-Romanian basic treaty, but he said it was possible to conclude a
basic treaty by adopting appropriate wording.
        Prime Minister Horn denied accusations about the separatist claims of
Hungarian minorities; they only claimed cultural and linguistic rights and that
wherever minorities form the majority in a particular locality, they should be
granted appropriate representation in local government.
        Finally, in connection with Euroatlantic integration, he said that in
negotiations with President Boris Yeltsin and other Russian leaders,
agreement had been reached to the effect that the future accession by
Hungary to NATO was her sovereign domestic affair, and such a move
would not influence Hungarian-Russian relations.


Horn Meets the Press in Strasbourg


        Strasbourg, April 26 (MTI) - On behalf of Hungary, chairman-in-office
of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Foreign
Minister Laszlo Kovacs will pay a visit to Belgrade shortly, Prime Minister
Gyula Horn told journalists at the Council of Europe's headquarters in
Brussels on Wednesday.
        "It is important to look at the approach of the Serbian and
Montenegrin leadership to the war in Bosnia. Looking at what has happened
so far, we feel that these two governments have dissociated themselves
from the Bosnian Serbs and are restricting them. This is a major step
forward and should be looked at seriously," Horn said in justification of the
visit to Belgrade by the foreign minister. He added that, as the foreign
ministers of the European Union are considering suspending the sanctions
against Yugoslavia, the other international organizations also need to form a
clear picture of all this.
        Asked by MTI about his talks on Wednesday with top CE officials,
Horn said he had discussed unresolved issues with both Parliamentary
Assembly President Miguel Angel Martinez and Secretary-General Daniel
Tarschys. For instance Russia's admission to the CE (the Parliamentary
Assembly has frozen this, but Horn today urged that Russia should be
allowed to join), the monitoring of the commitments undertaken by the
various member countries and the Yugoslav crisis. Concerning the latter,
Horn sees an urgent need for some kind of an initiative to solve this conflict,
which serves as a warning about the stability of Eastern and Central Europe
as a whole, and also causes huge financial damage to the neighbouring
countries.


CE Adopts Hungarian Proposal


        Strasbourg, April 26 (MTI) - Hungary attained a major success at the
Strasbourg headquarters of the Council of Europe (CE) on Wednesday,
when the parliamentary assembly of the international organization
monitoring the observance of human rights and the enforcement of plural
democracy, adopted a Hungarian proposal which states, putting an end to
several weeks of debate, that present and future CE members must comply
with the terms of recommendation no. 1201, which determines the rights of
the minorities on a rather wide scale, and that their observance should be
regularly checked.
        The proposed amendment was submitted by Hungarian delegation
head Andras Barsony and British deputy Lord Finsberg to the Columberg
report aimed at making the monitoring system more effective, which was
also passed on Wednesday.
        Reconfirmation of the continued validity of recommendation no 1201
is important because the conclusion of the Hungarian-Romanian basic
treaty is being mostly hampered by a dispute on whether it should be
included in the treaty or not.

Viktor Orban Has Talks in Brussels

        Brussels, April 26 (MTI) - Viktor Orban, chairman of the Hungarian
Parliament's European Integration Affairs Committee, had talks in Brussels
on Tuesday and Wednesday.
        He took part in preparing a meeting of the joint committee of the
European Parliament and the Hungarian Parliament, which will take place in
Budapest in May.
        Orban told MTI's Brussels correspondent that a firm recommendation
had been drafted for May. The intention was that negotiations with Hungary
on accession to the European Union should start immediately after the 1996
inter-governmental conference, and the Association Commission and the
Association Council, at present supervising the implementation of the
associate agreement, should be converted into a body which would make
preparations for Hungary's future accession.
        Orban met Willy de Clercq, chairman of the European Parliament's
external economic relations committee, and he brought up the problem of
Hungary's trade deficits with the member states of the EU.
        They agreed that the Hungarian Parliament would soon formulate a
proposal, following which the relevant committee of the European
Parliament could put the matter on its agenda.
        On Wednesday, Orban took part in a debate at a session of the "EU
part" of the EU-Hungarian joint committee, where he stressed that the
political parties represented in the Hungarian parliament continued to agree
on the necessity of Hungary's Euroatlantic integration.



Gabor Kuncze in the Netherlands

        Brussels/The Hague, April 26 (MTI) - Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of the Interior Gabor Kuncze began a daylong official visit in the
Netherlands today after leaving Brussels.
        His talks with his Dutch colleague Hans Dijkstal, and Foreign Minister
Hans van Mierlo will cover bilateral issues and topics related to the
Schengen agreement which came into force in March.
        Kuncze is expected to present two Hungarian proposals to Dijkstal,
one giving Dutch citizens the possibility of entering Hungary without a
passport-they would merely have to present an identity card.
        Kuncze will also raise this question with Foreign Minister van Mierlo,
and will ask the Dutch to support Hungary's request that, at least as far as
entry into Austria is concerned, Hungary be helped to overcome the
difficulties arising from the enforcement of the provisions of the Schengen
agreement, which stipulates strict checks at the outer borders of the
European Union.
        In addition Kuncze will present a draft agreement on cooperation
between Hungarian and Dutch crime fighting and judicial bodies. This
envisages wide-ranging cooperation against organized crime, and makes a
proposal for a new agreement on expelling illegal aliens.



Jose Miguel Insulza and Laszlo Kovacs Meet


        Budapest, April 26 (MTI) - Chile has the potential to become a major
partner for Hungary in Latin Anerica, said Foreign Minister Laszlo Kovacs
when he signed a consultation agreement with his Chilean counterpart Jose
Miguel Insulza here today.
        Insulza, who is in Budapest at the head of a delegation of
businessmen, this morning signed an agreement on investment protection
at the Hungarian Finance Ministry.
        In a brief statement Kovacs said that this was the first time that a
Chilean foreign minister had visited Hungary since 1971 (diplomatic
relations between Hungary and Chile were suspended for many years, and
they were only restored in 1990.)
        Kovacs said relations in recent years had been problem-free,
parliamentary democracy has stabilized in Chile and Hungary alike, with the
main goal of both countries being the extension of the market economy and
the encouragement of export-oriented growth.
        Kovacs and Insulza agreed that it was in the interest of both countries

to expand political and economic relations, and they should soon start
negotiations on avoiding double taxation.
        Kovacs described a visit planned by Chilean President Eduardo Frei
in the first half of next year as a major stage in bilateral political
relations.
        Kovacs said that Hungary, as was well known, regarded integration
into Euroatlantic institutions as one of its top foreign policy priorities, but
the
fast developing region of Latin America is particularly important for her.
        Kovacs also explained that although in certain Latin American
countries Hungary had closed down its embassies, this was strictly for
financial reasons and Hungary would like to make better use of existing
relations.
        For his part Insulza also pressed for enhanced economic and political
cooperation between the two countries, adding that there were many
untapped opportunities in this field.
        He said governments could only lay the foundations for good
relations, but these must be advanced by the citizens and entrepreneurs of
the given countries.
        The Chilean minister sees many opportunities for developing trade
and investment cooperation, and described a planned visit by the Chilean
president as being a high point in political cooperation.


Hungarian-Chilean Cultural Agreement

        Budapest, April 26 (MTI) - Gabor Fodor, Hungary's Minister of
Culture, and Chilean Foreign Minister Jose Miguel Insulza signed a bilateral
cultural agreement here today.
        Under the agreement the two sides, through direct contacts between
the relevant institutions, will promote cultural, educational and scientific
cooperation between their two countries.
        They will encourage cooperation between writers' associations,
federations and literary periodicals, and support the establishment of
contacts between Hungarian and Chilean institutions in higher education
and science.
        The Chileans plan to organize an exhibition of modern painting and
sculpture in Hungary in 1996. In return, Hungary plans to stage an exhibition
of contemporary painting in Chile, the following year.


President Goncz Winds Up Visit to Ireland

        Dublin, April 26 (MTI) - The recently launched process of
normalization in Northern Ireland provides more lessons for Hungary than
one would think at first sight, said President Arpad Goncz today while
summing up his three-day visit to Ireland.
        President Goncz told MTI's correspondent that Prime Minister John
Bruton himself had pointed out the similarities between the minority
problems faced by the two countries.
        President Goncz began his official visit to Ireland on Sunday with talk
s
with President Robinson and Prime Minister Bruton.
        The Irish Prime Minister told President Goncz that Ireland "in
principle" supported Hungary's accession to the European Union, but he
thought that there might be a conflict of interests in agriculture.
        For his part, President Goncz said that in his view Hungarian and Irish

agriculture could not become rivals, because, due to climatic and other
factors, the make-up of agricultural production in the two countries was
completely different.
        President Goncz requested that Ireland use its position as EU
chairman next near, to promote Hungary's accession to the EU and try to
arrange for Central Europe to be invited to attend the West-European inter-
state conference designed to review the process of integration, in 1996.
        President Goncz was accompanied by a large delegation of
businessmen, some of whom said they had completed successful business
negotiations, while officials from the Hungarian and Irish finance and foreign
ministries signed a bilateral agreement preventing double taxation.
        At noon on Wednesday President Goncz began his journey home.


Hungarian Defence Minister in Germany


        Bonn, April 26 (MTI) - Hungarian Defence Minister Gyorgy Keleti has
described his visit to Germany as extremely useful. His partners promised
continued assistance for the Hungarian army and confirmed Germany's
support for the Hungarian bid to join NATO.
        Before leaving, Keleti said that on Monday, the first day of his visit,

Defence Minister Volker Ruhe and on Wednesday Klaus Rose, Chairman of
Parliament's Defence Committee, pledged to provide additional help for
Hungarian efforts. They stressed that the country's admission to the North
Atlantic alliance completely agrees with the interests of Germany.
        Keleti's German partners detailed what kind of assistance they intend
to give for preserving the combat-readiness of the Hungarian army and
improving its military technology. The possibility of military industry
cooperation also came up at the talks. Keleti said Hungary wants to use the
over USD 6 million development aid received from the United States mainly
for buying radar equipment to monitor the airspace. An international tender
will soon be invited so that the necessary modern technology can be
obtained on the most favourable financial terms. Setting up an appropriate
airspace monitoring and controlling system and linking the military and
civilian systems is vital for the country's future membership in NATO.
        The defence minister, accompanied by Parliamentary Defence
Committee Chairman Imre Mecs, was familiarized with the tasks and life of a
Leopard-2 tank unit, a flying squadron using Tornado aircraft and an air-
defence squad equipped with Patriot and Hawk missiles.
        Keleti said his German counterpart would attend a conference of the
North Atlantic Assembly in Budapest at the end of May, when a secret
protection agreement is expected to be signed boosting cooperation in
military technology. Ruhe will probably also come to see the Hungarian-
German-British military exercise to be held in Hungary this autumn as part of
the Partnership for Peace plan.


Mine Blows Up on Hungarian-Croatian Border


        Budapest, April 26 (MTI) - One of the mines planted by Serbs in
Krajina last week, exploded on Croatian territory, one metre from the
Hungarian-Croatian border, on Wednesday afternoon.
        Colonel Attila Krisan, spokesman for the Border Guards, told MTI that
local residents had informed Hungarian border guards of the explosion,
which occurred near the village of Kolked.
        It is not known at this stage what triggered the mine and the
Hungarian border guards have begun investigating the matter.
        Krisan also said that Hungarian border guards had recently placed
100 warning notices along the critical section of the border, in an effort to
prevent such accidents.


NATO Cooperation Council - Janos Deak


        Brussels, April 26 (MTI) - Cooperation in the partnership for peace
scheme and future tasks, including a clarification of next year's "partnership
war games" formed the principal subjects at a conference attended by chiefs
of staff and commanders from the NATO member countries and the
countries taking part in the North Atlantic Cooperation Council in Brussels
today.
        On behalf of Hungary, Colonel General Janos Deak, Commander of
the Hungarian Armed Forces, took part in a daylong conference held at
NATO's Brussels headquarters today.
        Deak later told MTI that the planners of next year's partnership for
peace exercises would hold a conference in June.
        He also recalled that this year, Hungary, for the first time ever, woul
d
host a British-German-Hungarian peace-keeping exercise at brigade level,
in which other countries will probably take part.
        Deak also said that the military leadership of the Alliance had outline
d
a series of partnership exercises, which would eventually result in the
organization of exercises at division level in 1998.
        According to Deak, questions relating to the future expansion of
NATO were not raised on Wednesday.


World Economic Forum Ends in Budapest

        Budapest, April 26 (MTI) - The two-day regional conference of the
Swiss World Economic Forum Foundation ended in Budapest on
Wednesday.
        In a message to the forum, President Arpad Goncz, who could not
attend the conference as he returned from Ireland shortly before its closing,
expressed his hope that the international business world does not have an
overly negative picture of Hungary's economic situation since the biggest
investors continue to increase their activity in the country. In the view of
the
Hungarian president, businesspeople have felt the enterprise-friendly
economic atmosphere in Hungary despite the macroeconomics problems.
There are also critical voices in Hungary's business society, but the
prevailing mood is optimism about a future economic growth. Goncz is
convinced that the visiting company managers regard Hungary as a reliable
partner due to the political stability of the country.
        This is the first time a group of leading foreign businesspeople has
visited Hungary since the announcement of the government's economic
stabilization package on March 12. In the last lecture delivered at the
conference, which was also attended by representatives of the world's
largest multinational companies, Laszlo Bekesi, MP and former finance
minister, provided information on the parliamentary debate over the
stabilization package.

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A tovabbterjesztest a New York-i szekhelyu Magyar Emberi Jogok
Alapitvany tamogatja.

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Reposting is supported by Hungarian Human Rights Foundation News
and Information Service.
*****************************************************************



N E W S L E T T E R

from the Daily Bulletin of the Hungarian News Agency MTI
distributed by the Department for Press and International Information
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Hungary

H-1394, Budapest P.O.B. 423.
Telephone: 36 (1) 156-8000
Telefax: 36 (1) 156-3801
No. 84/1995                                                             28 Apri
l 1995

Goncz Meets Chilean Foreign Minister


        Budapest, April 27 (MTI) - President Arpad Goncz received Chilean
Foreign Minister Jose Miquel Insulza in his office on Thursday.
        The main theme of their discussion was how to develop ties between
the two countries, Andras Farago, the president's spokesman, told
journalists. The Hungarian president handed over an official invitation for
Chilean President Eduardo Frei, which the foreign minister accepted, voicing
the hope that the visit may take place shortly.
        The Chilean president will return Goncz's 1991 visit to Chile.
        At the meeting, the Goncz said that alongside the already existing
good political relations, the conditions necessary for developing economic
links were also taking shape. Miquel Insulza said that bilateral economic
cooperation might exploit all the actual possibilities by the end of the
decade, adding that there had already been some major results in this field
due to joint investments.
        Goncz mentioned that Hungary had been a temporary haven for
many Chileans in the early 1970s. These citizens, who have since returned
home, may play an important role in the formation and maintenance of
contacts between Hungary and Chile, the president said.

Speaker of Parliament Meets Chilean FM


        Budapest, April 27 (MTI) - Hungary and Chile may play mediatory
roles in strengthening ties between Central Europe and Latin America,
Hungarian Speaker of Parliament Zoltan Gal and Chilean Foreign Minister
Jose Miquel Insulza emphasized during their meeting in Budapest today.
        "It is unusual for two countries situated so far from one another to
maintain as intensive ties as Hungary and Chile do," Gal told reporters after
the talks.
        The two politicians agreed that bilateral political relations are healt
hy,
but in the economic field there were still untapped possibilities.
        They surveyed inter-parliamentary relations, and agreed on the need
to maintain their intensity: over the past five years, eight parliamentary
delegations paid visits to one another's countries.
        "It is highly important for as many Hungarian and Chilean MPs to
become familiar with one another's country because economic and cultural
relations always profit from their knowledge," the Chilean foreign minister
said.
Defence Minister in Warsaw


        Warsaw, April 27 (MTI) - Hungarian Defence Minister Gyorgy Keleti
arrived in the Polish capital on Thursday to pay a two-day official visit
there.
        Keleti and his host, Polish Minister of National Defence Zbigniew
Okonski, will discuss current international political issues, especially those
which could affect the security of their countries.
        The talks will also cover the future of European security frameworks,
the organization of joint military exercises, and the possible expansion of
technical and scientific cooperation under the auspices of the Partnership for
Peace programme.
        The Hungarian minister is also expected to meet Prime Minister Jozef
Oleksy and the head of the national security office, Henryk Goryszewski.

Hungary Wants No Rivalry on Road to NATO - Keleti

        
Warsaw, April 27 (MTI) - There is no need for rivalry on the road leading to
membership in NATO. Poland and Hungary may be among the members of
the organization in a few years' time, if they join their efforts and discuss
problems related to admission, Hungarian Defence Minister Gyorgy Keleti
said at a meeting with his Polish counterpart in Warsaw today.
        Keleti's two-day visit to Poland began on Thursday. First he held talks

with his host, Minister of National Defence Zbigniew Okonski.
        There have been a number of concrete initiatives helping the two
countries coordinate their policies regarding membership in NATO and the
European Union over the past few years, said the Polish minister.
        One example of this form of cooperation is the Partnership for Peace
programme, which involves military and civil organizations alike in both
countries. These organizations hold meetings and consult one another to
make their work more effective.
        Today's talks also covered plans to perfect the forms of civil control
over the army, Okonski said.

Hungarian Trade Minister in Brussels

        
Brussels, April 27 (MTI) - Hungarian Industry and Trade Minister Laszlo Pal
had talks with several members of the European Commission on
Wednesday and Thursday, including Vice-President Sir Leon Brittan and
commissioner Hans van den Broek responsible for foreign policy and
Eastern European affairs.
        Pal told MTI that his partners unanimously supported Hungary joining
the European Union within the foreseeable future and on acceptable terms.
        The minister, in Brussels since Wednesday, and van den Broek
discussed Hungary's economic situation, its bid to join EU and the 8 per
cent import surcharge imposed by the Hungarian government.
        Pal said the "foreign minister" of the commission pledged full support
for the Hungarian government economic austerity package and also
described the temporary extra import tariffs as essentially acceptable,
provided that they will be gradually decreased and eventually scrapped as
Hungary has promised.


Hungarian Agriculture Minister Visits Bonn


        Bonn, April 27 (MTI) - The development of Hungarian-German farm
links and Hungary's preparations for joining the European Union (EU) were
discussed by Hungarian Agriculture Minister Laszlo Lakos and his German
counterpart, Jochen Borchert.
        On EU admission, they agreed that application should be judged by
the general economic state of applicant countries. Disputes about
agricultural subsidies should not stop new members joining.
        The German minister promised once again to continue to consult his
Hungarian partner on preparations for EU expansion. Lakos asked the
Union to give additional customs preferences to Hungary after the
introduction of GATT tariffs on July 1.
        The two men also discussed ways German investors could take part
in Hungarian privatization. German experts will help with the legal
harmonization needed to join the EU. Bochert confirmed Germany's
readiness to give substantial financial support for the development of market
research work promoting Hungarian farm exports.

Government Sets up Privatization Panel

        
Budapest, April 27 (MTI) - The Hungarian government today reviewed the
privatization of electricity companies and the privatization process in
general. It saw a need for further legal regulations to help privatization,
deciding to set up a panel of experts, including one official each from the
Finance Ministry, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Justice Ministry, the
Energy Office, and the Prime Minister's Office, to make up for the missing
legislation over the next one or one and a half months.
        A spokesman told reporters government privatization strategy passed
last    The government discussed the implementation of its March 12
measures, and ruled that the ministries should continually brief the cabinet
on obstacles and restricting factors.
        The government relieved Istvan Farkas, government commissioner
for bank privatization, of his post at his own request, and at the same time
closed the post itself. Bank consolidation will be covered in the privatization
bill. The finance minister will decide on strategy and the privatization
minister
will implement.

DM 1bn Loan for Hungary Discussed

        
Bonn, April 27 (MTI) - Expert talks were held today in Bonn on a DM 1 billion
loan to Hungary. The loan was first discussed on Hungarian Prime Minister
Gyula Horn's visit to Bonn last December.
        The spokesman for the German Economic Ministry said on Thursday
that the coordination was held on Wednesday, attended by emissaries of
the federal government and the two provinces involved in granting the loan,
Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg. Hungary was represented by Istvan
Horvath, adviser to the prime minister.
        The spokesman said the next coordination would be held between
the Bonn government and provinces at state secretary level. Meanwhile, the
lending banks should finalize terms of the deal.

Government Spokesman's Briefing


        Budapest, April 27 (MTI) - A government spokesman said the cabinet
today had discussed the national regional satellite programme after
indicating in January it would take part in the MAGYARSAT scheme. The
project is led by a group founded by Antenna Hungaria and Israel Aircraft
Industries Ltd.
        The organization plans to send up two satellites of the same type, the
Israeli AMOS and the Hungarian MAGYARSAT. Services provided by the
Hungarian satellite will cover television and radio programme distribution
and telephone transmission, allowing a uniform telecommunications system
in Hungary and Central Europe.
        The cabinet decided to hire four of the 16 satellite channels for 11
years from the start-up. For this, it will pay a rent of USD 2.7 million per
channel per year.
        MAGYARSAT will be able to transmit Hungarian programmes to
ethnic Hungarians beyond Hungary's borders.

Hungarian FM on Bilateral Treaties

        
Budapest, April 27 (MTI) - "A basic treaty is usually not indispensable in
links
between two countries, but it is vital in the Hungarian-Slovak and Hungarian-
Romanian relations, because Slovakia and Romania consider its conclusion
to be a starting point in bilateral ties. In this respect, the Hungarian
government is aiming at not that can be attained in principle, but that can be
carried out in practice," Hungarian Foreign Minister Laszlo Kovacs stressed
at the foreign and security policy debate forum of the Friedrich Ebert
Foundation in Budapest on Thursday.
        Kovacs said that at the round of Romanian-Hungarian expert talks
which ended on Wednesday, a slight progress had been made in two
matters: regulation of the use of the native language and insurance of the
right of association.
        He also said that one of the main foreign policy aims of Hungary's
present government is to establish extensive cooperation with its
neighbours. Hungary has a vested interest in this, especially regarding its
security. The country's economic interests also call for cooperation, and
political partnership beyond a mere goods exchange is also based on
economic cooperation.
        Finding a common platform is also important to improve the situation
of Hungarians beyond the border, the foreign minister said. Hungary can do
the most for the Hungarian minority if there is dialogue. And last but not
least, we have to seek closer links with our neighbours to promote
Hungary's admission to the European Union and NATO, which have set the
condition that the countries of the region must not import their tensions to
the West, Kovacs said.

        The border question was one of the unavoidable problems in the
course of preparing the bilateral treaties, Kovacs said. Hungary was not in a
position to refuse resigning territorial claims because it would have
suggested ulterior motives. The other crucial consideration was to include
the question of the minorities in the treaties. The principal merit of the
Hungarian-Slovak treaty is that it has proved to the West: the two countries
are fit for integration since they are able to settle their problems in
accordance with European norms. The Hungarian minority also benefits
from the document, which has added to their rights, Kovacs said.
        Hungary and Romania are in disagreement on four major questions.
Romania opposes the inclusion of recommendation no. 1201 of the Council
of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly in the treaty on the grounds that it has
no binding force. Also, Bucharest is reluctant to set up a joint committee to
monitor compliance with the terms of the treaty. The right of using the native
language has not been clarified either, nor is the Romanian side ready to
grant the Hungarian minority the right of founding political parties. It seems
that differences in the latter two questions can be ironed out in the near
future.

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A tovabbterjesztest a New York-i szekhelyu Magyar Emberi Jogok
Alapitvany tamogatja.

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Reposting is supported by Hungarian Human Rights Foundation News
and Information Service.
*****************************************************************




N E W S L E T T E R

from the Daily Bulletin of the Hungarian News Agency MTI
distributed by the Department for Press and International Information
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Hungary

H-1394, Budapest P.O.B. 423.
Telephone: 36 (1) 156-8000
Telefax: 36 (1) 156-3801
No. 85/1995                                                             02 May
1995

Foreign Minister Opens "Europe Day" in Pecs


        Budapest, April 28 (MTI) - The idea of belonging to Europe has been
inherent in the self-identification of Hungarian people ever since founding
their state, said Foreign Minister Laszlo Kovacs opening a Europe Day
programme in Pecs, SW Hungary, on Friday.
        It is obvious today that the most important international condition of
creating security and economic growth in Hungary is its joining the
European Union. This step will affect the economy, political institutions, and
every section of social life.
        The question of integration into Europe will be put to referendum in
Hungary, so people should be informed of the advantages of full
membership and the obligations stemming from it well in advance, the
foreign minister stressed.
        In current preparations for membership, this Europe Day is an
important event displaying the great variety and centuries-old connections of
different cultures here. The programme tells the younger generations of
Hungary: they will be the citizens of a Hungary forming a part of the
European Union, the minister said.

        Following Foreign Minister Laszlo Kovacs's opening of a "Europe
Day" programme in the southwest Hungarian town of Pecs on Friday,
lectures were given on preparations for Hungary joining the European
Union. The invited guests, including ambassadors to Hungary from EU
countries, then welcomed the meeting.
        After that, Kovacs rose to speak again. He said Europe had arrived at
a crossroads, with one road leading to new divisions between the safe West
and the crisis-prone East, and the other to integration based on common
historic and cultural values. In order to travel on the latter, we have to
survey
the risks of security and the causes of instability. The security of the
continent is being threatened by economic and social tensions
accompanying the transition, regional flare-ups of nationalism, as well as
global problems such as international crime, terrorism, environmental
disasters and migration. A prerequisite of security is the creation of a new
all-European security model that approaches the notion of security in a
comprehensive manner and bases its new institutions on economic, social,
human, minority rights and environmental demands, in addition to military
and political ones, the foreign minister said.
        Hungary has the aim of becoming involved in working out a strategy
for European integration, Kovacs continued. We were allowed to participate
in the assessment of the Essen documents and the framing of law-
harmonization terms contained in the White Book, which lays down
admission criteria. The Hungarian government has already submitted its
joining strategy to the EU in Essen, and the domestic governmental and
parliamentary agencies of integration have also been established. All our
related activities show our understanding that integration is the only possible
road to Hungary's security and modernization, Kovacs said.

Hungarian Trade Minister on Belgian Investments

        
        Brussels, April 28 (MTI) - "Last year's trade between Hungary and
Belgium grew by 30 per cent to USD 500 million. Belgian investors
participated in some 100 joint ventures with a total value of USD 400 million.
We can expect further major Belgian investments in the near future,"
Hungarian Industry and Trade Minister Laszlo Pal told MTI on his talks in
Belgium.
        Pal ended a three-day visit to Belgium on Friday. His programme
included talks with Belgium and the European Union. Today he held a
discussion with Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Economic Minister
Melchior Wathelet, the prime ministers of Flanders and Wallonia, and at the
centre of the Confederation of Belgian Industrialists with leading officials of
companies with previous business experience in Hungary.
        Summing up his impressions, the minister said he had experienced
"serious sympathy" for Hungary's economic stabilization package.
Regarding measures that aggravate imports, they noted these had been
dictated by macroeconomics necessities. The Belgians also showed interest
in further privatization opportunities in Hungary, and his partners expressed
unanimous support for Hungary's future membership in the European
Union.
        A Flemish-Hungarian economic joint committee was set up with Pal
and Flemish Prime Minister Luc van den Brande as co-chairmen. It
designated prospective areas of cooperation in industry, trade,
environmental protection and transport.
        Pal and the Walloon prime minister exchanged draft versions of an
agreement on founding a Walloon-Hungarian joint committee in the future.

Karabakh Talks to Resume in May - OSCE Envoy


        Moscow, April 29 (MTI) - The opposing sides in Karabakh have
agreed to resume talks held with the participation of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) aimed at settling the crisis, the
envoy of the OSCE's chairman in office announced at a press conference in
Yerevan on Saturday.
        Speaking at the end of his three-day visit to the region, envoy Istvan
Gyarmati said his talks were aimed at working out an agreement that would
end the armed conflict in Karabakh, and at sending OSCE peace-keepers to
the region.
        According to Gyarmati, the agreement makes the final political
settlement of the crisis possible. The Hungarian diplomat acknowledged that
the OSCE and the international community were in arrears as regards the
settlement of the Karabakh crisis, for which the opposing sides are mainly to
be blamed.
        "Hungary would not like it if, at the end of its term as chairman, the
matter of the Karabakh crisis would still show no sign of progress."
        According to the envoy, the Karabakh peace talks will be renewed in
the first half of May. He said the talks must be launched without any
preconditions, and the individual rounds should be held every month.
        Gyarmati paid visits to the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, to Stepanakert i
n
Karabakh, and the capital of Armenia, Yerevan.

Japanese Foreign Minister in Budapest

        
        Budapest, April 30 (MTI) - Japanese Deputy Prime Minister and
Foreign Minister Yohei Kono arrived for a one-day official visit to Hungary on
Sunday.
        The Japanese Foreign Minister arrived in Budapest from Zagreb.
        He is to hold talks with Hungarian Foreign Minister Laszlo Kovacs and
Prime Minister Gyula Horn about ways to intensify bilateral relations, and will
report about his talks in Croatia regarding the settlement of the Yugoslav
crisis.
        The Japanese diplomat is scheduled to meet - on Japanese initiative
- Yugoslav Foreign Minister Vladislav Jovanovic and Macedonian Foreign
Minister Stevo Crvenkovski on Monday in Budapest.

        Yohei Kono was the first Japanese Foreign Minister to visit Croatia
since the outbreak of the war. In Zagreb, Yohei Kono held talks with the
Croatian President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. He also met
Yasushi Akashi, the special envoy of the U.N. Secretary-General for South
Slav affairs.
        Following the meeting, the Japanese Foreign Minister said Tokyo
supports the United Nation's efforts for a Bosnian settlement.
        To date, Japan has not officially recognized the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia, this was the first time that the two countries established
relations on a foreign ministerial level.
        With respect to Macedonia, Tokyo had indicated earlier it intends to
contribute to preventing the spreading of the conflict by increasing
humanitarian aid and expanding economic relations.

Hungarian-Japanese Foreign Ministerial Talks

        
        Budapest, April 30 (MTI) - "We welcome not only the Foreign Minister
of one of the world's leading economic and political powers in the person of
Yohei Kono, but also a good friend of Hungary," Hungarian Foreign Minister
Laszlo Kovacs said on Sunday, at a press conference following his talks
with the Japanese Foreign Minister.
        According to Kovacs, both sides agreed that there are no problems in
relations between the two countries.
        Kovacs briefed the Japanese Foreign Minister about the latest
developments in the work of the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe (OSCE), mainly about the OSCE's role in settling the Chechen
crisis.
        In answer to questions from Japanese journalists, Kovacs said that
although Japan is not a member of the OSCE, it is an important cooperation
partner. The OSCE welcomes any assistance from Japan, as such an
influential country can do much for the success of the OSCE actions.
        The two foreign ministers exchanged views about the Yugoslav crisis,
in the settlement of which Japanese foreign policy plays an active role. They
agreed that the most important condition of progress is mutual recognition
between the Yugoslav successor states.
        Kovacs also ensured the Japanese Foreign Minister that Hungary
fully supports Japan's membership in the United Nations Security Council.
The Hungarian government is convinced that the membership of a country
with such economic and political influence in the Security Council is in the
interest of the world, Kovacs said.

FYD Changes Name: FYD - Hungarian Civic Party

        
        Budapest, April 30 (MTI) - The overwhelming majority of delegates to
the 7th congress of the Federation of Young Democrats (FYD) decided that
the party's new name will be "FYD - Hungarian Civic Party".
        In the course of the weekend congress, and after discussing all the
amendment proposals, delegates voted - with 192 in favour, 2 against and 7
abstentions - to approve the political programme statement.
        The only candidate for the post of party chairman was the current
chairman, Viktor Orban, as the other candidates - Janos Ader, Jozsef Szajer
and Tamas Wachsler - announced on Sunday, the second day of the
congress, that they would not accept the candidacy.
        Apart from electing the new chairman of the FYD - Hungarian Civic
Party, delegates also elected the new deputy chairmen, and members of the
mandate examining and auditing committees.
        Viktor Orban was re-elected Chairman of the FYD - Hungarian Civic
Party, with an overwhelming majority.
        In his speech, Orban said the young democrats must be particularly
strong and firm in 1995 because the country is in an extremely difficult
situation at present.
        Analyzing the country's political situation, Orban was of the opinion
that the six current parliamentary parties may not be able to overcome the
country's problems on the long-range. In his view, this can only be possible
is a strong centre-right and a strong centre-left come about in the political
arena.

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A tovabbterjesztest a New York-i szekhelyu Magyar Emberi Jogok
Alapitvany tamogatja.

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Reposting is supported by Hungarian Human Rights Foundation News
and Information Service.
*****************************************************************



N E W S L E T T E R

from the Daily Bulletin of the Hungarian News Agency MTI
distributed by the Department for Press and International Information
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Hungary

H-1394, Budapest P.O.B. 423.
Telephone: 36 (1) 156-8000
Telefax: 36 (1) 156-3801
No. 86/1995                                                             03 May
1995

Goncz to London, Paris and Moscow

        Budapest, May 2 (MTI) - President Arpad Goncz is preparing to pay
visits to London, Paris and Moscow over the next few days.
        His spokesman, Andras Farago, today said that Goncz will leave
Budapest on May 3. On Thursday, he will receive a honorary degree from
Oxford University, and then visit a residential hall and meet members of the
Hungarian Society of Oxford.
        On May 6 and 7, the president will attend Victory Day celebrations in
London. He is scheduled to leave London for Paris on Sunday evening, May
7, and participate in the Concord Square ceremonies on Monday, May 8.
        In Moscow, Goncz will take part in commemorations marking the 50th
anniversary of the conclusion of World War II in Europe.

Foreign Affairs Spokesman's Briefing

        Budapest, May 2 (MTI) - Erwin Teufel, Minister-President of the
German land of Baden-Wurttemberg, is expected in Budapest on Friday,
May 5, at the invitation of Prime Minister Gyula Horn and Transport,
Communication and Water Management Minister Karoly Lotz.
        While in Budapest, Teufel will meet Horn, Lotz, Finance Minister Lajos
Bokros, Industry and Trade Ministry State Secretary Imre Dunai and
Speaker of Parliament Zoltan Gal, foreign affairs spokesman Gabor
Szentivanyi told reporters in Budapest on Tuesday.
        Invited by Foreign Minister Laszlo Kovacs, Greek Foreign Minister
Karolos Papoulias is to pay an official visit to Budapest on May 8-9, and
probably meet Horn and Gal for discussions on high-level foreign ministry
relations, the development of business links, Hungary's efforts to integrate
with Euroatlantic organizations, and the Yugoslav crisis. The latter will be
especially timely since on Monday in Budapest Foreign Minister Laszlo
Kovacs had talks with his Macedonian counterpart, Stevo Crvenkovski, who
repeatedly stressed his country's intention to join the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which is being hampered by
the objection of Greece.
        Answering questions, the spokesman expressed, in connection with
the resumed fighting in Croatia, Hungarian concerns over military actions
taking place near its territory. At the same time, Hungary hopes these are
only isolated operations. It urges Yugoslavia make possible the presence of
OSCE observers. Kovacs, who has a valid invitation to Belgrade, may reach
a palpable result as OSCE chairman-in-office after a successful conclusion
of expert talks.
        Regarding the Hungarian-Yugoslav foreign ministerial talks between
Kovacs and Vladislav Jovanovic in Budapest last weekend, Szentivanyi said
Hungary is interested in having the embargo lifted, but this can take place
only if the reasons for it cease to exist. However, it is the task of the U.N.
Security Council to examine the latter, the spokesman said.

        The foreign affairs spokesman told journalists of plans for the defence

and foreign ministries to sign an agreement on Wednesday, under which the
R300 or SCUD tactical missiles decommissioned in the early 1990s will be
destroyed - with the support of the U.S. government - at the Taborfalva
(central Hungary) manoeuvring ground of the Hungarian armed forces on
May 29. Hungary pledged to destroy the missiles when it entered the Missile
Technology Control Regime (MTCR), and several participants at the
Budapest session of the North Atlantic Assembly in late May are expected to
follow suit, Szentivanyi said.
        Labelled "Gift from the Hungarian People", a HUF 3 million aid supply
of medicines and bandage, financed from the relief fund of the Hungarian
government and foreign ministry, was launched for the war-afflicted
population of Chechnya, Dagestan and Ingushia on Tuesday. The
Hungarian Red Cross first sent the consignment to Geneva, to be forwarded
to its destination and distributed by the International Red Cross.
        Szentivanyi outlined Hungary's principal position that after the coming

into force of the Schengen agreement and its signing by Austria on April 28,
it has an interest in the continued free movement of Hungarian citizens
through the border, as well as in the maintenance of smooth transit and
freight transport. Continuous talks are aimed at reaching a separate border-
traffic agreement between Hungary and Austria and gaining the approval of
the Schengen Agreement General Secratariat for its conclusion. In reply to a
question, the spokesman said Hungary had set no time-limit for the
successful completion of the negotiations, but felt it was pressed for time.

Romanian PM Meets Hungarian Education Minister

        Bucharest, May 2 (MTI) - In Bucharest on Tuesday, Romanian Prime
Minister Nicolae Vacaroiu held talks lasting nearly an hour, more than
originally planned, with Hungarian Education and Culture Minister Gabor
Fodor on, among other things, the bilateral treaty between the two countries.
        Fodor later told MTI's correspondent that besides reviewing the main
features of the Hungarian-Romanian education cooperation accord, they
mostly discussed the bilateral treaty and the Council of Europe
recommendation no. 1201.
        The education minister said he found it reassuring what the
Romanian prime minister said: they have no problem with the
recommendation, but would like if the two countries found a common
interpretation to it. Fodor added, "I think it is obvious that both countries
have to be open to find this jointly. It is reassuring if they no longer
dispute
the 1201 itself."
        In reply to MTI's question, Fodor said no concrete date had been set
for the continuation of talks, but the Romanian head of government pointed
out they would like if the treaty could be concluded through negotiations as
soon as possible.
        Asked which side had raised the matter of the basic treaty, Fodor said
he had sought the opinion of the prime minister, informing him on Hungary's
public having received with slight surprise the interpretation problems
emerging in Romania. This was followed by a more extensive consultation.

Fodor and Maior Meet the Press in Bucharest

        Bucharest, May 2 (MTI) - The Hungarian-Romanian education
cooperation protocol signed on Tuesday calls for exchanges of students and
lecturers and regular consultations between ministry officials. It deals with
the employment of Hungarian language revisers at universities in Bucharest
and Cluj and of Romanian revisers in Budapest and Szeged, participation in
summer courses, the mutual recognition of university degrees, the 60
Hungarian students and 60 Romanian students who will receive
scholarships to study in each other's countries, the setting up of a
committee on the recognition of other certificates, and measures to help the
education of the Hungarian and Romanian minorities in the two countries.
        After signing the document, Hungarian Education and Culture
Minister Gabor Fodor and Romanian Education Minister Liviu Maior praised
the agreement which, as Maior put it, continues the pattern of good relations
existing between the two countries and may form a part of talks on the basic
treaty. Maior stressed the natural opportunities for cooperation between
Hungary and Romania.
        Fodor said education enabled the two countries to provide their
citizens with more information and that it was encouraging that despite
certain differences of opinion, the two countries were able to bring about
such constructive agreements as the protocol signed on Tuesday.

Government Stands Firm on Restrictions, Bokros

        Budapest, May 2 (MTI) - At Tuesday's plenary session of the Interest
Coordination Council composed of government officials, employer and
employee representatives, Finance Minister Lajos Bokros supported the
trade unions" proposal for setting up a single authority to collect customs
duties, taxes, stamp duty and social security contributions.
        This authority would introduce a tax declaration system made up of
four elements: business income, private income, business property and
private property. Until such a system is in operation any clampdown on the
black economy will be ineffective, the finance minister said.
        The proposed authority would also be authorized to impose a lump
sum tax on suspected untaxed incomes that manifest themselves in
property.
        The session focussed on the government's stabilization measures,
the supplementary budget, and the unions' proposals.
        The finance minister outlined the economic and welfare measures on
which the government would make no concessions.
        Should the government, under pressure as it is from the unions,
moderate the planned cuts in real wages and consumption, the central bank
would immediately suspend the crawling peg system of devaluation and
introduce a floating exchange-rate policy. This would generate even higher
rates of devaluation and inflation.
        Nor is the government prepared to drop its plan of limiting family
allowances to families with per capita gross income of less than HUF
25,000.
        The employees' representatives were disappointed that the
government had rejected all their main proposals.
        If the government had been more receptive to the unions' main
proposals, they would have been prepared to sign a more modest and more
limited social and economic agreement, union officials said.
        The employers' representatives described the session as a sign that
the Interest Coordination Council was losing its importance and added that
further talks on the topic would be pointless.
        The government noted this with regret but expressed the hope that
the dialogue with unions and employers could be resumed.

Crisis in Yugoslavia - Defence Spokesman

        Budapest, May 2 (MTI) - Hungarian villages along the southern
border are not exposed to any military threat, Col. Lajos Erdelyi, Defence
Ministry Spokesman, told MTI today.
        The announcement followed a new flare-up of fighting in Croatia, not
very far from the Hungarian border.
        The commanders of the Hungarian armed forces are continually
monitoring and assessing the crisis in Yugoslavia, he said.
        At present there is no reason to put the armed forces on a higher
level of alertness, the spokesman said.

*****************************************************************
A tovabbterjesztest a New York-i szekhelyu Magyar Emberi Jogok
Alapitvany tamogatja.

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           [*]   [*]  [*]   [*]  [*]  [*]  [*]    
           [*]   [*]  [*]   [*]  [*]   [*] [*]

Reposting is supported by Hungarian Human Rights Foundation News
and Information Service.
*****************************************************************