DATE=1/7/98

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-224941

TITLE=HUNGARY/EUROPE (L-ONLY)

BYLINE=STEFAN BOS

DATELINE=BUDAPEST

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  HUNGARY'S FOREIGN MINISTER HAS BEEN INVITED TO JOIN A 

PRESTIGIOUS GROUP WITH THE 40-NATION COUNCIL OF EUROPE.  IT'S  

KNOWN AS THE "COMMITTEE OF WISE PERSONS."  STEFAN BOS REPORTS 

FROM BUDAPEST THAT HUNGARIAN OFFICIALS HOPE THIS MAY SPEED UP THE

COUNTRY'S INTEGRATION INTO BOTH NATO AND THE EUROPEAN UNION.



TEXT:  HUNGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTER LASZLO KOVACS TOLD REPORTERS 

(EDS: WEDNESDAY) HE HAS ACCEPTED AN INVITATION TO JOIN A NEW 

POLICY FORMATION BODY WITHIN THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE,  KNOWN AS THE

COMMITTEE OF WISE PERSONS.



THE INVITATION COMES AS THE COUNCIL PREPARES FOR ITS 50TH 

ANNIVERSARY NEXT YEAR.  FOUNDED IN 1949,  THE COUNCIL IS EUROPE'S

OLDEST CONTINENTAL ORGANIZATION WHICH COVERS EVERY POLICY AREA, 

SHORT OF DEFENSE.



IN TALKING WITH REPORTERS, MR. KOVACS JOKED AND COMMENTED ON HIS 

NEW APPOINTMENT AS A "WISE PERSON."



                        ///KOVACS ACT///



         IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT I GOT A CERTIFICATE THAT I AM 

         WISE.  WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT HUNGARY WAS THE VERY FIRST 

         COUNTRY OF THE REGION OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE THAT

         JOINED THE ORGANIZATION (COUNCIL OF EUROPE) IN OCTOBER 

         IN 1990.  THAT STARTED A NEW STAGE IN THE ORGANIZATION. 

         IT HAD, FOR MANY YEARS, ONLY 23-MEMBER COUNTRY 

         COUNTRIES,  NOW IT HAS FORTY (MEMBERS).



                          ///END ACT///



MR. KOVACS SAYS MEMBERSHIP GROWTH IN THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE HAS 

CREATED NEW CHALLENGES.  DIPLOMATS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER 

HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN MEMBER COUNTRIES, SUCH AS TURKEY.  

IT'S HOPED THE NEW "WISE PERSONS" COMMITTEE MAY LEAD TO NEW 

SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS THAT ARISE.



FOREIGN MINISTER KOVACS SAYS THE COMMITTEE MAY PRESENT 

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHANGES AND REFORM PERHAPS AS EARLY AS THIS 

YEAR.   HUNGARY WILL CHAIR THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE IN 1998.  HE 

SAYS BUDAPEST WILL ALSO HOST A SUMMIT TO PREPARE FOR NEXT YEAR'S 

50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE.



                     ///SECOND KOVACS ACT///



         THE FINAL DRAFT SHOULD BE PREPARED BY THE AUTUMN OF THIS

         YEAR OR SPRING NEXT YEAR WHEN WE WILL CELEBRATE THE 50TH

         ANNIVERSARY OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE.  AND THAT 

         CEREMONIAL MEETING,  WHICH WILL BE MOST LIKELY HELD IN 

         BUDAPEST BECAUSE HUNGARY WILL CHAIR THE ORGANIZATION IN 

         THE SECOND HALF OF (19)98 AND THE FIRST HALF OF '99,  

         WILL BE THE TIME AND THE PLACE WHERE THESE REFORMS WILL 

         BE DECIDED UPON.



                          ///END ACT///



HUNGARIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SAY THEY HOPE INVOLVEMENT IN THE 

COUNCIL OF EUROPE WILL HELP SPEED-UP PROSPECTS FOR MEMBERSHIP OF 

THE EUROPEAN UNION AND NATO.  ALTHOUGH HUNGARY, TOGETHER WITH 

POLAND AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC HAVE BEEN INVITED TO JOIN NATO IN 

1999,  GOVERNMENTS OF MEMBER STATES IN THE DEFENSE ALLIANCE STILL

HAVE TO RATIFY THE EXPANDED ROSTER.



HUNGARIAN MINISTER KOVACS SAYS HE WILL TRAVEL TO THE UNITED 

STATES AND OTHER COUNTRIES IN AN EFFORT TO CONVINCE POLITICIANS 

THAT AN EXPANDED NATO WILL LEAD TO A MORE STABLE EUROPE. (SIGNED)



NEB/SB/PCF



07-Jan-98 1:48 PM EST (1848 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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