Hungarian Heritage Review, 1991 (20. évfolyam, 1-11. szám)
1991-02-01 / 2. szám
refugees staying in Hungary to return safe to their country, if they should wish to do so. The Romanian government also undertook a concrete obligation to this effect in the final act of the Vienna follow-up meeting, which it also confirmed at the recent Paris summit. European norms and humanitarian considerations had been uppermost in the mind of the Hungarian government when it initiated well-intentioned discussions with the Romanians on this matter. The Hungarian government is completely at a loss to understand why after the attack launched by the Romanian official against top level Hungarian policy, the Romanian ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Budapest should now be at pains to criticise the president and prime minister of the Republic of Hungary, as publicty as possible. With his words and reprimands to two supreme Hungarian statesmen, the Romanian ambassador blatantly violated all the written and unwritten diplomatic rules. Ferenc Somogyi reminded the ambassador of what he had said on presenting his credentials, namely that his statements would be taken as those of the Romanian president himself. This only casts a darker shadow over the recent words of the Romanian ambassador, and begs the question of whether Mr Ion Iliescu would acknowledge them as his own. The Hungarian Secretary of State pointed out that ambassadors are expected to promote, and not to hinder, inter-state relations: their duty is to communicate official government statements accurately. Secretary of State Somogyi put the question whether Ambassador Pop, fully aware of his responsibility, could in any way confirm that a member of the Hungarian government had made such statements of those which came under fire in the interview. If Mr Pop indeed thinks that a "wave" of irredentism is threatening Hungary, and seriously considers that "frontline" politicians will jump on the bandwagon, then it is to be feared that he will balk at keeping in touch with those he pronounces irredentist or conceited. From the Romanian perspective and that of Hungaro-Romanian relations, it is alarming to contemplate the prospect of a vacuum surrounding the Romanian ambassador to Budapest, considerably impending the performance of his functions. Naturally, these functions do not include criticism of the leaders of the host country and their activities, or the dissemination of false allegations. Secretary of State Somogyi stated that Prime Minister Mr József Antall would not meet the Romanian ambassador until he receives a public apology. According to the Hungarian Secreatary of State, it was lamentable that the Romanian ambassador was not more familiar with Hungary and the Hungarian government or he would not have said what he did in the interview, namely that Hungary deliberately and persistently belittles its eastern neighbour, irredentist and chauvinist feelings are escalating, the greater part of the mass media provides biassed and one-sided information on the reality of the Romanian situation, and widespread chauvinist and irredentist circles are provoking and inciting citizens in hundreds of books. By saying this, Ambassador Simion Pop seriously insulted the Hungarian people, who want to see Romania behaving as a good neighbour, despite their need for the ambassador to smooth between Hungarians and Romanians. Asking for his statement to be delivered with the utmost precision to the Romanian government, Secretary of State Somogyi confirmed that the Republic of Hungary would continue to persistently strive for the normalisation of relations with Romania, as it had in the past, while maintaining its principles, consistently representing the country's interests and observing its international commitments. As the Hungarian prime minister has repeatedly pointed out at international forums, Hungary does not aim to isolate Romania, but it would like to see Romania becoming an integral part of evolving European co-operation in compliance with the European obligations, norms and expectations. Finally, the Secretary of State expressed his hope that the Romanian government would show a readiness to do this, stop moving in the opposite direction and display the kind of wisdom needed to serve the genuine interests of Romanians. Ambassador Pop is yet to give a considered response to the above. 10 HUNGARIAN HERITAGE REVIEW FEBRUARY 1991
