RFE/RL NEWSLINE
Vol. 1, No. 160, 14 November 1997
HUNGARIAN PREMIER URGES PRO-NATO VOTE. Gyula Horn,
addressing a rally in Budapest on 13 November, urged Hungarians to
approve the country's entry into NATO in the 16 November
referendum. He told the crowd that the invitation to join the alliance
means that, for the first time this century, the world has
acknowledged Hungarian accomplishments. He also called on all
segments of society to put aside political differences and combine
forces to seize "this historic opportunity." MSZ
HUNGARY, ITALY, SLOVENIA TO FORM JOINT PEACE-KEEPING FORCE.
Hungary, Italy, and Slovenia have signed an agreement to set up a
joint peacekeeping unit, Hungarian media reported on 13 November.
The unit will consist of three artillery battalions and will have joint
headquarters in Italy, according to Hungarian Defense Minister
Gyorgy Keleti. The three countries' defense ministers, meeting in
Budapest on 13 November, said their cooperation is not aimed at any
other country but "could be open to other states that want to join."
MSZ
ROMANIAN SENATE POSTPONES DEBATE ON EDUCATION LAW. The
Senate has postponed its scheduled debate on government
regulations amending the 1996 education law. Bela Marko, the leader
of the Hungarian Democratic Federation of Romania (UDMR),
appealed to President Emil Constantinescu on 13 November to
mediate between his group and the National Peasant Party Christian
Democratic (PNTCD). Marko said there have been accusations that the
UDMR is "blackmailing" the PNTCD but the truth is, in fact, the
opposite. He explained that the PNTCD is threatening to withdraw
support for other amendments to the 1996 law supported by the
UDMR if the ethnic Hungarian formation does not agree to history
and geography being taught in the Romanian language in all schools,
RFE/RL's Bucharest bureau reported. MS
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