OMRI DAILY DIGEST
No. 190, 29 September 1995

HUNGARIAN PREMIER ABANDONS PLANS FOR CABINET RESHUFFLE. Hungarian
Premier and Socialist leader Gyula Horn on 28 September withdrew his
plans to carry out a cabinet reshuffle and agreed not to take any
measures that would infringe the coalition agreement of 1994, the
Hungarian press reported the next day. The two coalition partners--the
Hungarian Socialist Party and the Alliance of Free Democrats--now
consider their long tug-of-war to be over. The Socialists, especially
Horn, had been pressing for a reshuffle to improve the way the
government works. Meanwhile, the parliament is likely soon to pass
legislation providing for the convertibility of the forint, according to
Hungarian press reports. -- Zsofia Szilagyi

HUNGARY SAYS HEAVILY ARMED EX-YUGOSLAVIA POSES THREAT. Hungarian Foreign
Minister Laszlo Kovacs told the UN General Assembly on 28 September that
huge stockpiles of arms in the former Yugoslavia are a threat to
neighboring countries, Hungarian newspapers and international media
reported the next day. Kovacs stressed his country's concern for the
ethnic Hungarian minority in the Serbian province of Vojvodina. He
called for a comprehensive peace settlement for the former Yugoslavia
that would guarantee minority rights. Meanwhile, Hungary is concerned
about the several thousand ethnic Hungarians living in eastern Slavonia
(now under Serbian control), many of whom were recently singled out for
forced labor. According to Sandor Jakab, deputy of the Democratic
Community of Hungarians in Croatia, five of them have been killed by
Serbs. -- Zsofia Szilagyi

ROMANIAN, HUNGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS MEET IN NEW YORK. Teodor Melescanu
and Laszlo Kovacs, in New York to take part in the UN General Assembly
session, met to discuss Budapest's reaction to President Ion Iliescu's
proposal for a historic reconciliation between the two countries, Radio
Bucharest reported on 28 September. Kovacs said the Hungarian government
is already studying the submitted documents. He stressed that solving
outstanding problems in bilateral relations should precede the proposed
reconciliation, adding that the issue of minority rights requires a
legal framework to include specific commitments. Melescanu told Radio
Bucharest that the first meeting to discuss concrete diplomatic steps
will be held soon. -- Matyas Szabo

[As of 12:00 CET]

Compiled by Jan Cleave


Friday, 29 September 1995
Volume 2, Issue 189


BUSINESS NEWS
-------------

**HUNGARIAN HANDS ON THE SWITCH**
  Hungarian domestic investors are going to get a shot at buying
  more shares in state utilities.  The state privatization
  agency, APV, said stakes worth about $300 million will be
  offered to holders of state compensation coupons next year.
  The stakes include 5 percent of the oil company MOL, 4
  percent of the electric company, MVM, and 8 percent in each of
  the country's electrical suppliers.  Coupon holders will also
  be able to buy shares in the communications company MATAV,
  broadcaster Antenna Hungaria, and gas suppliers.  Hungary
  issued compensation coupons worth almost $1 billion to those
  who suffered loss of property or persecution under communist
  rule.  About $450 million worth of the coupons are still in
  circulation. --David Fink


**S. KOREA'S BANK TRANSACTION**
  South Korea's Hanhwa Group plans to buy an 80 percent stake in
  an as yet unnamed Hungarian Bank through its financial
  subsidiaries for almost $7 million.  About $6 million of that
  will come from the Bank of Athene.  Hanhwa subsidiary First
  Securities is the biggest shareholder in the Bank of Athene.
  It has a 50 percent stake.



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(Elnezest az esetleges kisbetukert, de az eredeti szoveg csupa
nagybetuvel volt irva, amit at kellett cserelnem.)

Buchwald Amy

*****************************************************************

date=9/28/95
type=correspondent report
number=2-186037
title=Hungary / U-S (l-only) correct
byline=Stefan Bos
dateline=Budapest
content=
voiced at:

        ///// fixes 2nd actuality from not to now. /////

Intro:  The U-S chairman of the joint chief of staff, General
John Shaliskashvili, says non Nato-countries, such as former
Warsaw Pact Nations, are welcome to join a peace keeping force in
Bosnia-Herzegovina.  Stefan Bos reports from Budapest, General
Shaliskashvili made his comments Wednesday after talks with
Hungarian government officials.

Text:  U-S General John Shaliskashvili told reporters a new peace
keeping force in Bosnia, should not only include soldiers from
Nato countries.

General Shaliskashvili says he hopes non-member states, such as
former Warsaw Pact Nations, can join the force that will be
established after the warring factions sign a peace treaty.

                 /// Shaliskashvili act.  #1 ///

         We would welcome nations to participate in this
         implementation force.  Whether they are Nato or not
         belonging to Nato.

                        /// End  act. ///

The U-S chairman of the joint chief of staff says he would
welcome Russia's participation in the military peace operation.
But he also says he does not know whether a Moscow proposal to
form a joint command between Nato and Russia can become a
reality.

                 /// Shaliskashvili act. #2 ///

         It is equally useful if Russia were to participate.  So
         I think we need now to continue the discussions and see
         what it is that is possible to bring those two concepts
         in line.  So that at the one hand we have a militarily
         sound operation and on the other hand find a way that
         would permit russia to participate.

                        /// End  act. ///

General Shaliskashvili also stressed he would understand why some
former Warsaw Pact Countries that have common borders with former
Yugoslavia would refuse to cooperate in the peace keeping force.

Hungary has raised objections because of fears that it could
undermine already strained relations with former Yugoslavia,
where a large Hungarian minority lives.   (Signed)

neb/sb/bd-t/pt/rae

28-Sep-95 9:47 am edt (1347 utc)
nnnn

source: Voice of America