RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
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RFE/RL NEWSLINE  14 June 1999

LATVIA AND HUNGARY SIGN FREE-TRADE DEAL. Visiting
Latvian Prime Minister Vilis Kristopans and Hungarian
Prime Minister Viktor Orban signed a free-trade
agreement in Budapest on 10 June, as well as an
agreement on the promotion and protection of
investments. The signing ended a visit to Hungary by
Kristopans and Defense Minister Girts Valdis
Kristovskis. MH

HUNGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS VOJVODINA LEADER.
Jozsef Kasza, chairman of the Federation of Vojvodina
Hungarians, told Janos Martonyi in Budapest on 11 June
that ethnic Hungarians could play a role in a future
Yugoslav government, depending on domestic political
developments in Serbia. Martonyi said that the inclusion
of ethnic Hungarians in the government could boost
Belgrade's democratic credibility. Kasza and Martonyi
agreed that the three-tier autonomy scheme for Vojvodina
(see "RFE/RL Newsline," 11 June 1999) should become part
of the democratic process in Yugoslavia. MSZ

HUNGARY REJECTS RUSSIAN REQUEST FOR USE OF AIR SPACE.
Hungary on 11 June refused to allow Russian planes
carrying troops to Kosova to use its air space,
Hungarian media reported. Foreign Ministry spokesman
Gabor Horvath said foreign armed forces can enter the
country's air space only with the approval of the
parliament. "Russia originally was given permission for
six planes with a 10-member crew each, but did not use
the opportunity by the deadline, so the permission lost
its validity," Horvath explained. "It turned out later
that the Russian planes intended to carry an armed unit
of 600 troops," he added. The parliament is expected to
pass a resolution on the transit of KFOR forces later
this week. MSZ

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