>
> Thanks for the warning Eva .... I can, with clear conscience assure you,
> that for the last 20+ years, I've done just that and a hell of alot more
> ... In fact ... in a village, away from the 'conceived mainstream' shopping
> for food hardly constitutes to me .... a tourist track!  Who the hell, has
> ever gone to Vac for example .... as a tourist, in attempts to purchase
> groceries?  Have you?

I have some ideas about Vac, it is not a village, but an old and
in the Hungarian context not even a particularily small town,
and being near to Budapest, it is a fairly prosperous in that.




> ... have relatives ranging from both extremes of the social spectrum.
> Sadly enough, those at the very bottom agree with me ..

they agree, that Hungary is on the best possible path?
They are happy with their living standard?  They are better off than
before? That is a surprise. I wonder why the new regime not proudly
announcing this fact? Not many country manages to raise the living
standard for the poor, not even the US!


 >> Best, Aniko
> >>
> 
> [...]
>
> Wanna debate fair Eva? ... Leave my words in their context and ... in their
> entirety Geeessh ... already!

I thought it was neticet not to reproduce all text, only the
relevant bits.

> The system we live in is not
> perfect - but nobody found a better system yet.

Even if that was true, it shouldn't stop us from looking.

> Marx was a very smart
> guy, but he wrote Das Kapital in a very different society 150 years
> ago than ours now. Das Kapital is dated.

He was indeed; wealth is still getting more and more centralised in
fewer and fewer hands; there are still employer and employee classes
diametrically opposed in their interests; and democracy is standing
on a very shaky ground.

>The communist ideal is based on
> everybody being the same.  But people are very different from each other.
>  People's need is very different.  People's morale is very different.
> And talents are very different too.

You remind me of my mother-in-law, a very nice lady indeed.
Especially when I first arrived here - but a bit ever since,
she rather than listening to me, imagines what I really want to say.
Most of the time she gets it wrong. Try to listen first, and answer
the points I make, and not points I don't.

No, the ideal is based on the basic principle of fairness -
regardless of your talents and morals, when there is enough wealth in
the system to provide for everyone's need, than it should.


> ANd people in power developed a
> nice idea to be a terrible dictatorship, murdering millions of people
> in the name of the ideal.

Unfortunately, such dictators were and are made daily based on
capitalist system. Please stop overlooking this basic fact.
Capitalism is as good as producing bloody dictators as the
un-democratic deformed socialism did for very obvious historical
reasons. However, a system which builds socialism on a democratic
basis, has no reason to produce bonapartism.

> So, Joe, until someone invents something better
> than our system here, in Canada, I would like to stay with it!
>
> Agnes
>

I bet those 10% poor - in one of the richest countries -
and the millions who'd like to work shorter
hours, doing work they enjoy, and not worry about
the future of their children's opportunities - would like some
thinking done asap.

> Gladly ... What I considered to be disrespectful, are your following quoted
> words
> "My foremost task is to make people aware of the problems".
>

So what is disrespectful about that? Obviously due to a biased media,
it is not always easy for people who've been well-healed in the past
decade, to see, that there is another world there populated with
poor people, who are in that frustrated situation not from their
fault, but purely due to the random event of being born at the wrong
place, at the wrong time.  They don't have to be "always with us".
There is enough wealth to distribute, without a drop in the average
living standard.
I haven't heard this one yet, that making people aware of a problem
is disrespectful. If they get emotional about it, perhaps they feel
that there is something in it...

>
>         Oh, my God! You and the Hungarian Munkaspart. One of the
> vice-presidents of the Munkaspart was active for a while on the late HIX
> Forum and his favorite hobby horse was "direct democracy." Mind you, when we
> pressed him a bit about this direct democracy business he was sufficiently
> vague. By the way, if you want to get in touch with him, the Munkaspart has
> a website. ESB
>

I have no idea what the Munkaspart is doing, and I didn't feel like
finding out uptil now.   However, it is a bit silly asking about the
nature of direct democracy, how would the poor chap know what other
people would decide?  If you are told the details of a socialist
programme, you say - rightly - that it is authoratarian. If it leaves
the options for a democratic choice, you call him "vague".
It is clear, that you are not ready to consider any alternatives.

Wouldn't you be happier, if all those groups you listed
wouldn't have to rely on their luck that some well-off people will
have a pang of guilty feeling and put a few pounds their way?
(Even that is not true, most income to charity is from the average
earners, who seem to have more empathy with the needy.)
Oops, then Aniko cannot have the rewarding role of fairy
grandmother.

Sorry, I am not a talented entrepeneur, even though I worked
in all my life I happen to be behind the mortgage payment,
so not able to help to plaster the cracks of the wall in capitalism
for you. If I had  a few spare pounds, I would spend it to help along
a system that stops such humiliation as relying on charity forever.


>
> Joe Szalai .... At 01:31 PM 17/06/97 -0400, you wrote: - I respond ... way,
> way below ....>At 08:35 AM 6/17/97 +0100, Eva Durant, responding to Aniko
> Dunford, wrote:
> ><snip>
> >>Just what you are basing this statement? It is
> >>totally false. There is a fairly narrow layer
> >>of "entrepeneurs" who are doing better, but
> >>guess what, these are the people who were
> >>not doing that bad before. The average living standards
> >>are down, especially since the Bokros-csomag,
> >>and no politician denies this in Hungary.
> >>Get your facts right before you patronising me, please.
> >
> >Don't count on it, Eva.  I'm beginning to believe that Aniko gets all her
> >data from people around her, and from her own experience.  And that's a
> >good start.  Unfortunately, I think she stops there, too.
> [...]  Begin I ..... as Aniko ...
> Sometimes, Joe, you can hit the nail on the head ... sort of.  Aniko, does
> get her data from her own experiences, along with utilizing what Aniko
> might refer to as some degree of common sense and rationalizing
> capabilities.  Although to Eva D and you, they might seem rather
> inadequate, they are serving Aniko and her chosen causes really very well.
>
> > doubt very
> >much that she goes to a library to look up facts or figures on various
> >issues.
> [...]
> This is where you tend to hit the nail on the head.  The time at hand
> which I would afford to going to a library, is deemed by me as being far
> better spent elsewhere .... where, I am making differences, teeny as may
> be, but differences just the same in our world. Time managment dictates,
> that I make choices between researching stats and cultivating
> relationships/friendships, deemed to be special.  Since statistics for me,
> just don't cut it no mohe, quess where my chosen spare time is really spent!
>
> >It's propably why she hasn't mentioned that 10 or 15 per cent of
> >Canadian children live in poverty.  She just doesn't see it, therefor it
> >can't be true, and change is not necessary.
> [...]
> No, Joe, I did not mention that.  Nor did I realize that my responses to
> Eva's comments had anything at all to do with Canada, and it's
> underprivileged children - how very stupid of me!  But am I ever elated,
> that you raised the subject!  You see .... what I meant above by making
> "teeny differences", is simply this; _We_ need alot o'bucks! And, _each_
> buck counts.    One, with a deadline of June 30th, the other four, Dec
> 31st.  In total, 750KCan.  They are all legitimately established, monitored
> and organized and range in aid of: underprivileged dyslectic children,
> underprivileged athletes; underprivileged elite athletes; 20 needy families
> as identified by my children and confirmed as being so, by the proper
> Canadian authorities within my own community; general;, (encompassing
> school equipment, computers, musical instruments, children's hospital,
> homeless children, foodbank drives the like).+
>
> So, Joe, although, according to you, "Aniko" does not see, therefore,
> according to you, does not acknowledge _it's_ importance ... "Aniko" now
> dares tp challenge you, to put your monies where you're mouth is .... with
> guaranteed results to make an enormously "teeny" difference.
>
> Just btw; .... no, neither of my kids are dyslectic ... nor, thank God,
> could I term them as being underprivileged either.  And yes, Joe, I am, and
> have chaired all of these five committees for the past ten years.  But
> please .... write me privately, and I'll be most elated to give you the
> bank account numbers, which are set up for direct transfers - from anywhere
> in the world ... which ought to mean, that Waterloo would pose no great
> probs.  You too ... along with Eva D., can make a difference!  Really!  How
> 'bout it ha?  And ... if Canada is not your "bag" ... lemme know ...
> similar effort are in effect in Hungary also ... And, if the above causes
> ain't your bag ... lemme know too.  There are some others, I am in direct
> involvement with... three more to be specific, with access to countless.
> And ... if I am sounding cranky, I am !... since I just arrived from one of
> these meetings to have been met by your post ....  Good timing with no
> regrets in the morn ... is about all I can say ....... prior to
>
> Best, Aniko .... 'cept for ... please! You judgement call above was highly
> unfair to say the very least.
>

> I may have missed those reasons, but it seems I am not the
> only one. Except Joe, nobody sees or understands the validity
> of your reasons. Actually I don't even know what reasons are
> you talking about. If you refer to those you told me about
> the transition period from capitalism to communism (you may
> remember our debate) than we have a misunderstanding here, those are
> fairy tales to me not reasons.
>

As this will be a repeat I'll respond privately when I dug up a
re;evant past note.

> >You are not offering any guarantee, that the present trend towards
> >polarisation and anarchy won't continue.
>
> You was telling that the present trend is toward the globalisation and
> cooperation and not polarisation and anarchy. That was one of your
> argument that the 'New world' is coming.
>

The economy is globalised, and lots of stuff such as information and
(public funded) science is getting that way. However, social
conditions are in total asyncron with this, and that's what I'm
talking about.
> J.Zs
>

However, if I was trapped in this new
>economy (downsizing, rightsizing, rationalizing, and other strategies
>motivated by greed) the way she is, I too may vent my anger by voting
>CPC(M-L).
>
Dear Joe, I was also trapped in this new economy and downsized 6 years
ago - but it would have never occurred to me to vote communist.  And, I
am sorry - your lady can speak 50 languages, but if she doesn't realize
that the big experiment, which went on for generations, failed miserably,
I don't think she is very intelligent.  The system we live in is not
perfect - but nobody found a better system yet.  Marx was a very smart
guy, but he wrote Das Kapital in a very different society 150 years
ago than ours now. Das Kapital is dated.  The communist ideal is based on
everybody being the same.  But people are very different from each other.
 People's need is very different.  People's morale is very different.
And talents are very different too.  ANd people in power developed a
nice idea to be a terrible dictatorship, murdering millions of people
in the name of the ideal. So, Joe, until someone invents something better
than our system here, in Canada, I would like to stay with it!

Agnes

It's propably why she hasn't mentioned that 10 or 15 per cent of
>Canadian children live in poverty.

Joe, unfortunately, there always will be poor people around.  I would,
however, point out that we came to these western countries 40 years ago
with absolutely nothing.  Here, in Canada, in a few years, all of us
lived at least as well as the average Canadian.  There is a Hungarian
couple who are coming in every year to clean my windows.  They came here
10 years ago.  I found them advertising in one of the Hungarian papers I
subscribe.  Today they are driving a big truck, they specialize in
carpets and windows, have a house and their children are going to
university.  They don't have to advertise in the papers any more -
they are booked weeks ahead.

In some cases, illness or death causes terrible hardships and poverty.  I
feel sorry for those and they deserve all the help.

Agnes

Joe Szalai .... At 01:31 PM 17/06/97 -0400, you wrote: - I respond ... way,
way below ....>At 08:35 AM 6/17/97 +0100, Eva Durant, responding to Aniko
Dunford, wrote:
><snip>
>>Just what you are basing this statement? It is
>>totally false. There is a fairly narrow layer
>>of "entrepeneurs" who are doing better, but
>>guess what, these are the people who were
>>not doing that bad before. The average living standards
>>are down, especially since the Bokros-csomag,
>>and no politician denies this in Hungary.
>>Get your facts right before you patronising me, please.
>
>Don't count on it, Eva.  I'm beginning to believe that Aniko gets all her
>data from people around her, and from her own experience.  And that's a
>good start.  Unfortunately, I think she stops there, too.
[...]  Begin I ..... as Aniko ...
Sometimes, Joe, you can hit the nail on the head ... sort of.  Aniko, does
get her data from her own experiences, along with utilizing what Aniko
might refer to as some degree of common sense and rationalizing
capabilities.  Although to Eva D and you, they might seem rather
inadequate, they are serving Aniko and her chosen causes really very well.

> doubt very
>much that she goes to a library to look up facts or figures on various
>issues.
[...]
This is where you tend to hit the nail on the head.  The time at hand
which I would afford to going to a library, is deemed by me as being far
better spent elsewhere .... where, I am making differences, teeny as may
be, but differences just the same in our world. Time managment dictates,
that I make choices between researching stats and cultivating
relationships/friendships, deemed to be special.  Since statistics for me,
just don't cut it no mohe, quess where my chosen spare time is really spent!

>It's propably why she hasn't mentioned that 10 or 15 per cent of
>Canadian children live in poverty.  She just doesn't see it, therefor it
>can't be true, and change is not necessary.
[...]
No, Joe, I did not mention that.  Nor did I realize that my responses to
Eva's comments had anything at all to do with Canada, and it's
underprivileged children - how very stupid of me!  But am I ever elated,
that you raised the subject!  You see .... what I meant above by making
"teeny differences", is simply this; _We_ need alot o'bucks! And, _each_
buck counts.    One, with a deadline of June 30th, the other four, Dec
31st.  In total, 750KCan.  They are all legitimately established, monitored
and organized and range in aid of: underprivileged dyslectic children,
underprivileged athletes; underprivileged elite athletes; 20 needy families
as identified by my children and confirmed as being so, by the proper
Canadian authorities within my own community; general;, (encompassing
school equipment, computers, musical instruments, children's hospital,
homeless children, foodbank drives the like).+

So, Joe, although, according to you, "Aniko" does not see, therefore,
according to you, does not acknowledge _it's_ importance ... "Aniko" now
dares tp challenge you, to put your monies where you're mouth is .... with
guaranteed results to make an enormously "teeny" difference.

Just btw; .... no, neither of my kids are dyslectic ... nor, thank God,
could I term them as being underprivileged either.  And yes, Joe, I am, and
have chaired all of these five committees for the past ten years.  But
please .... write me privately, and I'll be most elated to give you the
bank account numbers, which are set up for direct transfers - from anywhere
in the world ... which ought to mean, that Waterloo would pose no great
probs.  You too ... along with Eva D., can make a difference!  Really!  How
'bout it ha?  And ... if Canada is not your "bag" ... lemme know ...
similar effort are in effect in Hungary also ... And, if the above causes
ain't your bag ... lemme know too.  There are some others, I am in direct
involvement with... three more to be specific, with access to countless.
And ... if I am sounding cranky, I am !... since I just arrived from one of
these meetings to have been met by your post ....  Good timing with no
regrets in the morn ... is about all I can say ....... prior to

Best, Aniko .... 'cept for ... please! You judgement call above was highly
unfair to say the very least.

>Felado :  [Canada]
>Temakor: Re: Whiners ( 5 sor )
>Idopont: Tue Jun 17 11:58:51 EDT 1997 HUNGARY #1031
>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>
>Aniko wrote about the conspicuous consumption she saw in Budapest. I
>wonder if Aniko could tell us how many soup kitchens there are in
>Budapest.
>
>Joe Szalai
>
You're taking words out of context entirely, Joe!  But .... what you
interpret as "conspicuous consumption" others might well consider as being
valid examples (though hastily written) of the fact that living standards
in Hungary have ... indeed changed.  Which, I believe *was* the point in
questions?.

Now ... if you wanna talk about "soup kitchens" within Hungary .... or
elsewhere, start a new thread for goodness sake ... and, stop taking my
words out of context.   Please and thank you!?
Best, Aniko

Eva Durant ...At 10:21 PM 17/06/97 GMT, you wrote:

>If  I'd act as you say, you'd call me an authoritarian - with
>good reason. Exacly where was I disrespectful?
>Please point it out, I copied it all.

Funny, that you picked up on disrespectful Eva ....

Gladly ... What I considered to be disrespectful, are your following quoted
words
"My foremost task is to make people aware of the problems".

Hope this helps ...
Best, Aniko

>> Eva Durant replies:>
>> >I can't and don't want to "do so" on my own.
>> >My foremost task is to make people aware of
>> >the problems,
>> [...]
>> Enough said.  This, to me is where you let yourself down the most.  To
enact
>> changes requires leadership.  Leadership requires a plan of action and
blind
>> dedication towards implementing.  It also requires display of respect for
>> other humans. Your above shared words lack all of this.   As such, your
>> ideas/ideals become interpreted as  "whining".
>>
>If  I'd act as you say, you'd call me an authoritarian - with
>good reason. Exacly where was I disrespectful?
>Please point it out, I copied it all.
>> Best, Aniko
>> >
>>

>
>

At 10:21 PM 17/06/97 GMT, you wrote:
>Aniko, sometimes try to stray off the tourist tracks.
>(Be careful, though.)
>Your argument is somewhat superficial.

Thanks for the warning Eva .... I can, with clear conscience assure you,
that for the last 20+ years, I've done just that and a hell of alot more
 ... In fact ... in a village, away from the 'conceived mainstream' shopping
for food hardly constitutes to me .... a tourist track!  Who the hell, has
ever gone to Vac for example .... as a tourist, in attempts to purchase
groceries?  Have you?  However, the point remains is, that both you and Joe
Sz., are taking things and words way out of context ... which I do so
resent.  My words were, in direct response to

>>>Just what you are basing this statement? It is
>>>totally false.
>>
Really, I apologize that my response was not within your realm(s) of being
deemed as acceptable ... however, as opinions of mine, based on first hand
experience, remain to be valid at least to me.

I have seen an incredible change in living standards within Hungary at
large through the past many years ... and ... I do, as others have shared
 ... have relatives ranging from both extremes of the social spectrum.
Sadly enough, those at the very bottom agree with me ... while the ones
most enjoying life are the very ones who 'bitch and complain the most'  =
whining ...  comes the point of my mating with Amos' recently shared
thoughts ...
 >>
>> a) ALL stores in Hungary (from the little corner to the recently introduced
>> "SuperStore" are filled with high qualify foods and products from all over
>> the world now, as opposed to prior when the shelves were practically empty
>> even within the teeny cubicles they used to call stores.
>-description of booming down-town cut-
>> Best, Aniko
>>

[...]

Wanna debate fair Eva? ... Leave my words in their context and ... in their
entirety Geeessh ... already!

Best, Aniko

Matthew Lungerhausen asks, via Prof. Agnew:

> My name is Matthew Lungerhausen.  I am a graduate student in History at
> Binghamton University.  I am interested in the urban history of Budapest
> and the architecture of Odon Lechner. [....] What is the best guide to
> the archives and libraries in Hungary?

I consulted a professional archivist houseguest of mine (the other
houseguest, a psychiatrist, proved to be quite useless for these purposes)
and this is what he says: the College of Industrial Arts (Iparmuveszeti
Foiskola) has a Lechner Archive, and so does the Museum of Industrial Arts
(Iparmuveszeti Muzeum).  The latter is located in one of Lechner's best
known buildings: a remarkable specimen of the Secession style, spiced up
with Hungarian motifs and covered with porcelain tiles (I believe) from
the Zsolnay factory.  Also, the place to start any archival search is the
Master Catalog of the National Szechenyi Library.  Good luck...

-----
Gabor Fencsik

At 10:21 PM 6/17/97 GMT, Eva Durant wrote:

>I am a type of communist because I want democratic
>socialism, however at the moment I tend towards the solution that
>favour independent grassroot organisations to guarantee  directly
>exercised democracy.

        Oh, my God! You and the Hungarian Munkaspart. One of the
vice-presidents of the Munkaspart was active for a while on the late HIX
Forum and his favorite hobby horse was "direct democracy." Mind you, when we
pressed him a bit about this direct democracy business he was sufficiently
vague. By the way, if you want to get in touch with him, the Munkaspart has
a website. ESB

****************** CALL FOR ACTION ****************

Priority:
   normal

Background:
  Hungary's position in the Danube lawsuit at the International Court
of Justice in The Hague is very promising. However, even if the court
rules in favour for the environment it is possible that the Slovak
government does not accept the verdict.
  It is important that influential politicians of USA support our
position, since in this case Slovakia probably does not dare to reject
the decision of the court.

What to do:
   Please ask president Clinton, vice president Al Gore and secretary
of state Albright to make a statement in favour for the environment of
Szigetkoz. Feel free to use the attached NEW form letter. Al Gore and
Albright will only take notice if he receives thousands of letters.
SAVE THE DANUBE!!
        SEND SEVERAL LETTERS A DAY!!! PLEASE DO NOT ONLY
        SEND THEM BY E-MAIL! Send them even by fax or
        "priority mail".

e-mail address of Clinton:
president@ whitehouse.gov

e-mail address of Al Gore:


e-mail address of Albright:


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

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
letter to Clinton:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Honorable Bill Clinton
President of the United States
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20001
(E-Mail: president@ whitehouse.gov)

RE:  First Environmental Lawsuit (Danube) in The Hague

Dear Mr. President:

On the 21st of August, 1993, Vice President Gore wrote to professor
Bela Liptak about his concern for the future of the Danube ecosystem
at Szigetkoz. Today, we are approaching an important precedent: This
year the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague will rule
on the first international environmental lawsuit.

By the end of the year, the ICJ will decide on this case involving the
Danube and the destruction of its ancient wetland region: the
Szigetkoz. This name, losely translated, means: "The region of a
thousand islands," yet today there are no islands left there, because
the water is gone. Still, the implications of this case go beyond the
future of just one river or just the 400 endangered species of the
only inland sea delta ecosystem of Europe.

This lawsuit will set a precedent for the whole planet and will
answer a much more basic question:  Do national governments have the
right to destroy the natural treasures of this planet, or does mankind
as a whole have the right to protect them?

Dear Mr. President, in 1995, nine international NGOs have submitted a
memorial to the ICJ, which the Court accepted. A Compromise Plan was
also submitted to the Court, which would guarantee the restoration of
the ancient Szigetkoz wetlands, together with fulfilling the
water-supply, shipping and energy needs of the region. For details,
information is available at the web-site:
http://www.goodpoint.com/duna.htm or from prof. Liptak.

Dear Mr. Clinton. There is little question, that in October, the ICJ
will order Slovakia to return the Danube into its natural riverbed and
will also order the restoration of the Szigetkoz wetlands. But the ICJ
has no powers to enforce its rulings. Therefore it will be up to the
international community to force the parties to the lawsuit to obey
the ruling. This being the first international environmental lawsuit
before the ICJ, the outcome will establish an important precedent. All
governments must understand that there is a price to be paid for being
admitted into the European Community or into NATO. That price must
include the respect for international law. A statement by you, would
guarantee that the parties understand this. Please make that
statement.

Respectfully yours,

<name, title, address>


xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
letter to Gore:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<date>

The Honorable Al Gore
Vice President of the United States
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20001
(e-mail: )


RE:  First Environmental Lawsuit (Danube) in The Hague


Dear Mr. Vice President,

On the 21st of August, 1993, you wrote to professor Bela Liptak about
your concern for the Danube ecosystem. Today, humankind is approaching
an important precedent: By the end of 1997 the International Court of
Justice will rule on the first international environmental lawsuit in
The Hague.

By this fall the ICJ will decide on this case involving the Danube and
the destruction of its ancient wetland region: the Szigetkoz. This
name, loosely translated, means: "The region of a thousand islands,"
yet today there are no islands left there because the water is gone.
Still, the implications of this case go beyond the future of just one
river or just the 400 endangered species of the only inland-sea delta
of Europe.

This lawsuit will set a precedent for the whole planet and will
answer a much more basic question:  Do national governments have the
right to destroy  the natural treasures of this planet, or does
humankind as a whole have the right to protect them?

Mr. Vice President, in 1995 nine international NGOs have submitted a
memorial to ICJ, which the Court accepted. A Compromise Plan was also
submitted to the Court, which would guarantee the restoration of the
ancient Szigetkoz wetlands, together with fulfilling the water-supply,
shipping, and energy needs of the region. For details of this plan,
information is available at the Web site:
http://www.goodpoint.com/duna.htm or from prof. Liptak.

Dear Mr. Gore. There is little question that in October the ICJ
will order Slovakia to return the Danube into its natural riverbed and
will also order the restoration of the Szigetkoz wetlands. But the ICJ
has no powers to enforce its rulings. It will, therefore, be up to the
international community to force the parties to obey the ruling. Since
this is the first international environmental lawsuit before the ICJ,
the outcome will establish an important precedent. All governments
must understand that there is a price to be paid for being admitted
into the European Community or into NATO. That price must include
respect for international law. A statement by you would guarantee that
the parties understand this. Please make that statement.

Respectfully yours,

<Your name, title and address>


xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
letter to Albright:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<date>

The Honorable Madeleine Albright
United States Secretary of State
United States Department of State
Washington, DC 20520
( E-Mail:  )

RE: First Environmental Lawsuit (Danube) in The Hague

Dear Madame Secretary,

Please accept my congratulations on your well-deserved appointment. I
do hope that your leadership will contribute to progress and stability
in Central Europe.

Madame Secretary, you now have a great opportunity to set a new tone
for American policy in connection with international environmental
standards in general and with the Danube lawsuit in particular, which
is in progress at the International Court of Justice in the Hague.
This new tone would be consistent with the US policy of expanding
Western structures to Eastern and Central Europe. It would also engage
the US more actively in helping resolve emerging inter-country
conflicts in the Region (i) by urging your West European partners to
assist more pro-actively, and (ii) by calling on both parties (Hungary
and Slovakia) to accept the Compromise Plan prepared by the
environmental NGOs and thereby cooperate in the quest for a solution
that can set an example for the future.

Your help in resolving the Danube problem would also be consistent
with the present US policy based on a global approach to environmental
issues and based on seeking to mobilize all relevant political
(multilateral, international, non-governmental, and civic society)
forces to assist in avoiding environmental catastrophes caused by
bilateral agreements that have been drawn up by non-representative
governments under a regional policy framework which was imposed by
Moscow.

This, the first international environmental lawsuit in human
history, also involves the United States, because it was the Paris
Peace Treaty which set the border between Czechoslovakia and Hungary,
and it was that Treaty which named the Great Powers as the guarantors
of the integrity of the two nations' territories. The Treaty also
stated that the two nations DO NOT have the right to change their
border, unless the Great Powers first approve of the change. Yet in
1977, under Soviet direction, the two nations signed a contract to
move the Danube, previously their border river, into an artificial
canal on Slovak territory. By so doing, they did not ask  nor did they
receive, the approval of the Great Powers. Therefore, the Moscow
initiated 1977 Contract was and is INHERENTLY INVALID, and the Danube
must be returned into its riverbed.

Madame Secretary. There is little question, that in the fall, the
International Court of Justice will order Slovakia to return the
Danube into its natural riverbed and will also order the restoration
of the Szigetkoz wetlands. But, as you know, the ICJ has no powers to
enforce its rulings. Therefore, it will be up to the international
community to force Slovakia to obey the ruling. Since this is the
first international environmental lawsuit before the ICJ, the outcome
will establish an important precedent. It must be understood that
there is a price to be paid for being admitted into the European
Community or into NATO. That price must include respect for
international law. A statement by you, would guarantee that the
parties understand this. Please make that statement.

Respectfully yours,

<Your name, address, title>