RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
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RFE/RL NEWSLINE  7 February 2000

HUNGARIAN PREMIER CONGRATULATES AUSTRIAN CHANCELLOR... Prime
Minister Viktor Orban on 5 February told journalists in
Madrid that he has sent a telegram congratulating Austrian
Chancellor Schuessel on his appointment to that position,
Hungarian media reported. Orban said that freezing relations
with Austria was "completely unacceptable" from the point of
view of Hungarian interests, and he expressed apprehension
that the EU's preoccupation with events in Austria may result
in delaying Hungary's accession to the organization. Foreign
Minister Janos Martonyi on 4 February said Hungary has
"exchanged information" but "not specifically coordinated
positions" with other members of the Visegrad group on
developments in Austria. Far-right Justice and Life Party
leader Istvan Csurka said in the parliament on 4 February
that Hungary "must not join an organization that restricts
national sovereignty." MS

...WHILE POLL SHOW HUNGARIANS CONFUSED OVER HAIDER. In a
telephone poll commissioned by the daily "Magyar Hirlap,"
some 47 percent of respondents said they consider the Freedom
Party's joining the Austrian coalition to be a "dangerous"
development. But in reply to another question, 46 percent
said the EU "has no right" to exert pressure on member
states. Thirty-nine percent said they are "indifferent" to
the fact that Haider's party is now in government, and 3
percent said they are "pleased." Fifty-nine percent said
Hungary must not join sanctions against Austria, while 68
percent said they would consider it "dangerous" if extreme
right parties were to be co-opted in a coalition in Hungary.
MS

SERBIAN MINISTER SLAMS WESTERN 'MEDIA CAMPAIGN.' Information
Minister Aleksandar Vucic said in Belgrade on 5 February that
the U.S. and other Western countries are waging a "media
campaign" against the Serbian authorities. He charged that
virtually all independent media in Serbo-Croatian and in
Albanian are "funded and controlled" by Washington, "Danas"
reported. Vucic added that the Hungarian Embassy in Belgrade
is the Western powers' main direct contact with the
independent media. PM

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