RFE/RL Daily Report
                                   No. 174, 13 September 1994

HUNGARY STAYS AWAY FROM NATO EXERCISES. Hungarian Defense Ministry
spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Lajos Erdelyi told MTI on 12
September that his ministry lacked the necessary funds for the
army to participate in the "Cooperative Bridge 94" maneuvers in
Poland. He said two Hungarian observers would attend instead. The
exercises are the first under NATO's Partnership for Peace program
in which former East bloc countries are participating. At the
opening ceremony, US General George A. Joulwan noted that the
exercises "mark the beginning of a new chapter in the history of
NATO and Europe," Western news agencies report. The exercises are
regarded as a step toward preparing some former East bloc
countries for eventual NATO membership.  Edith Oltay, RFE/RL, Inc.

HUNGARIAN FINANCE MINISTER ON THE ECONOMY. Speaking at the
Financial and Accounting College in Budapest on 12 September,
Laszlo Bekesi estimated that the Hungarian economy needed some $10
billion in capital investment to recover, MTI reports. He was
confident that Hungary would be able to attain a mid-term
three-year loan agreement from international financial
organizations and would have access to loans with favorable terms
and interest rates. Bekesi also estimated that the country needed
to draw around $1 billion from international financial markets to
make up this year's state budget deficit, which is expected to
exceed 9% of gross domestic product.  Edith Oltay, RFE/RL, Inc.

  [As of 1200 CET]
  Compiled by Eileen Downing and Jan Cleave
Copyright 1994, RFE/RL, Inc. All rights reserved.

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

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