RFE/RL Daily Report
                        No. 134, 18 July 1994


NEW HUNGARIAN GOVERNMENT ELECTED. By a vote of 265 to 93 (with one
new opposition deputy voting yes by mistake), and one abstention,
Hungarys parliament on 15 July approved Hungarys new government
program and confirmed the countrys 14-member coalition government
headed by Hungarian Socialist Party Chairman Gyula Horn, MTI and
Radio Budapest announced. Gabor Kuncze of the Alliance of Free
Democrats will serve as deputy premier (a new post) and minister
of internal affairs, with two more ministries (culture and
education; transport, communications, and water management)
allotted to the AFD. Following the swearing-in ceremony, Horn said
he would like to be able to state four years from now that a
further worsening of Hungarys economic crisis had been prevented
and the populaces living conditions had improved. After approving
an 8% increase in Hungarys pensions due in September, parliament
adjourned until 29 August. Alfred Reisch, RFE/RL, Inc.

HORNS IMMEDIATE FOREIGN POLICY OBJECTIVES. At a 15 July
international press conference, Premier Horn said he would lead
Hungarys delegation to the 16 July Trieste summit of the Central
European Initiative then hold a working meeting on 18 July in Bonn
with German Chancellor Helmut Kohl to strengthen bilateral
economic ties. Horn rejected the view that the four Visegrad group
countries should be dealt with jointly as a bloc with regard to
their future admission into the European Union. He denied the
existence of a consensus in Hungary over NATO membership and
favored the holding of a referendum on the countrys admission to
both the EU and NATO, adding that he would work toward an
affirmative vote on both issues. Horn favored a stabilization of
Hungarys relations with Russia and a regaining, to the extent of
existing possibilities, of Hungarys eastern markets. He stressed
the need to improve relations and sign a bilateral state treaty
with Slovakia that would resolve the Gabcikovo dam and national
minority issues, and to ease tensions with Romania over the
minority issue. Alfred Reisch, RFE/RL, Inc.

HUNGARIAN-BRITISH JOINT MANEUVERS. By a vote of 289 to 1, Hungarys
parliament authorized the holding on Hungarian soil of a joint
Hungarian-British military exercise from 6 to 24 September 1994,
MTI reported. According to defense minister Gyorgy Keleti, the
maneuver, the first of its kind, will involve Britains Goldstream
Guard Regiments 7th Company (120 men), will take place in the
framework of NATOs Partnership for Peace program and aim at
exercising peace-keeping tasks and strengthening bilateral
military ties. Alfred Reisch, RFE/RL, Inc.


[As of 1200 CET]

Compiled by Keith Martin and Stan Markotich
Copyright 1994, RFE/RL, Inc. All rights reserved.