William Penn Life, 1989 (24. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1989-08-01 / 8. szám

Hungary

August 1989, William Penn Life, Page 3'------------------From Page 1

for the President’s efforts and bring to his attention some specific concerns that needed to be addressed in his discussions with Hungarian leaders.

The President listened intently as we told him that American Hungarians favor a clear statement of support for minority rights and the human rights for all peoples. We encouraged him to go on record opposing the bulldozing of minority settlements in Rumania and to prepare a joint statement with Hungarian leaders condemning state sponsored ethnocide.

While we expressed our support for American economic and political commitments, we urged the President to ensure that such commitments enhance the opportunities for political and economic participation and involvement of the Hungarian public in general.

He agreed with us that such policies would create a healthy people-to-people linkage between Americans and Hungarians.

In other words, such direct contacts — person to person, group to group, institution to institution — could strengthen reforms while reducing the role of bureaucracies.

We also asked the President to encourage Hungarian leaders to continue the policy of openness. With such a policy in practice, the American Hungarian churches and organizations would renew

an ever stronger commitment to serve the legitimate aspirations of the Hungarian people.

The President welcomed the support of American Hungarians and assured us that his administration wants to be part of the answer which will bring further democratic reforms to Hungary.

The U.S. government’s policies to aid Hungary in its democratization process were explained in greater detail at the Eastern European Symposium.

The symposium covered a wide range of topics concerning Eastern Europe, including trade policy, developments in Poland and Hungary, the future of Eastern Europe, and business and educational opportunities available in Poland and Hungary.

In presenting an overview of U.S. policy, Deputy Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger said there are monumental changes taking place in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, what he called the "great experiment in democracy and in the free market.”

He noted that Hungary is serving as a leader in attempting economic and political change, but that the U.S. private sector has to teach Hungarians our management techniques and about the free labor movement if these changes are to continue.

With U.S. help and encouragement, Hungary could provide an example for other Eastern Bloc

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Articles and photographs for the September issue of the William Penn Life are due in our office by August 18,1989

countries to follow, Mr. Eagleburger said.

Ambassador Carla Hills, U.S. trade representative, said the Bush administration is offering trade benefits to Hungary to bring about further liberalization and ensure its status as the vanguard of the democratization effort in Eastern Europe.

A major component of the adminstration’s plan is to have Congress grant permanent Most- Favored-Nation trade status to Hungary, making it the first communist country to receive such permanent status.

But offering such status and other aid must be done very carefully, according to former National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski, now a counselor for the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"The change to democracy can be a volatile and very fragile process” because it affects the ideals of a nation, he said.

The process of democratization must be slow, stressing cooperation not confrontation, he said.

In addressing the issue of the future of Eastern Europe, Dr. Brzezinski said much hope can be found in such symbolic acts as the recent reburial of Imre Nagy. Such acts reflect a desire to continue reforms and to close the gap between East and West,

Eventually, more concrete bridges between East and West could be built if reforms continue in Eastern Europe. Dr. Brzezinski said Hungary and Poland could even be considered for associate status in the European Common Market.

While that move would be far

off in the future, Hungary is poised to make a peaceful transition from communism to democracy, said Charles Gati, a senior research fellow at Columbia University’s Research Institute on International Change.

Dr. Gati noted Hungary has made large strides in political reform through granting greater personal freedoms, including the right to assemble and a freer press.

He joined other panelists in stressing that the Hungarian people must be patient and be willing to face hard times before they can reap the benefits of a democratic society.

Dr. Gati said the current process of change is a great opportunity to move to democracy and openness at less cost than the wars we have fought to bring those ideas about.

At the conclusion of the symposium, we had an opportunity to visit with Vice President Quayle. The Vice President reiterated the President’s commitment to furthering democratic reforms in Hungary and urged additional help and investments from U.S. business.

With the efforts of our government, the help of the U.S. private sector, and the support of the American people, the dream of a free and democratic Hungary is coming closer to being reality.

Association to co-host symposium on Hungary

PITTSBURGH - Leaders of Hungarian churches and national organizations are being invited to attend a special symposium this month which will focus on the common interests of American Hungarians.

The symposium will be held Aug. 14 and 15 at Penn’s Scenic View in Trent, Pa., and the Bethlen Home in Ligonier, Pa.

The event is being jointly sponsored by the William Penn Association and the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America.

Attendees will discuss such current topics as President Bush’s visit to Hungary and

recent developments in the settling of Hungarian refugees from Erdély.

Other roundtable meetings will focus on the role of American Hungarians in Hungary’s public life and the affects of the Helsinki Agreement after the Conference of Paris.

"What we are hoping to achieve through this symposium is a unification of the American Hungarian community, both in our understanding of topics relevant to all American Hungarians and in our voice as an ethnic group,” said National President Stephen G. Danko.

U.S.-Hungary relations improve as democratization process grows

President Bush’s historic trip to Hungary came at a time when relations between the two nations had reached their highest point in more than 40 years.

Relations between the U.S. and Hungary peaked last summer when the late General Secretary Karoly Grosz visited the U.S., the first visit by a high ranking Hungarian leader in many years.

At that time Hungary was beginning to open up and starting to implement political reforms that would have been unthinkable just one year before.

Grosz returned to Hungary greatly impressed with the U.S. private sector’s creativity and its business and managerial expertise, and endorsed expanding ties with the U.S. in these areas.

But relations between the two nations were not always so open. U.S. relations with Hungary were strained from the time of the communist takeover in 1947-48 until 1963, when they improved somewhat after Hungary declared partial amnesty for political prisoners and the Hungarian question was removed from the UN agenda.

Three years later, relations improved further when missions in Washington and Budapest were upgraded to embassy status and ambassadors were exchanged.

Bilateral relations slowly but steadily improved from that time, and were greatly enhanced in 1978 when the U.S. returned to Hungary the historic Crown of St. Stephen and coronation regalia which the U.S. had been safeguarding since the end of World War II.

Today, both governments attach great value to their bilateral dialogue. The most notable successes in their relations have centered on high level visits in both directions, cooperation in combatting terrorism and narcotics traffic, and the creation of student, cultural, environmental and scientific exchange programs.

Economic relations between the two nations have also improved. Total bilateral trade has grown more than 21 percent since 1985 and U.S. investment in Hungary continues to climb.

Further increases in both economic areas, plus Western help in moving away from a centralized economy, are seen as vital to Hungary if it is to reduce its external debt of nearly $18 billion.

In light of continued Hungarian progress in implementing economic reforms, the Bush administration believes the prospects are good for continued growth in both trade and investment.

President Bush has even urged Congress to grant Hungary permanent Most-Favored-Nation status, a move which would open the door wider for U.S. economic assistance.

Overall, relations between the U.S. and Hungary have continued to improve in the last year as Hungary has shown greater respect for human rights and peacefully moved toward democratic pluralism and a market-oriented economy.

For its part, the U.S. continues to support these steps and will maintain its current policy of assisting and encouraging Hungary in its transition from a centralized economy.