ACCESSION NUMBER:380782
FILE ID:EUR506
DATE:02/24/95
TITLE:HUNGARY EAGER TO JOIN NATO (02/24/95)
TEXT:*95022401.GWE
*EUR506   02/24/95
HUNGARY EAGER TO JOIN NATO
(Wants to accelerate the process) (580)
By David Pitts
USIA Staff Writer
Washington -- Hungary is "very eager" to join NATO and wants to assume the
responsibilities as well as the benefits of membership, Istvan
Szent-Ivanyi, political state secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
said February 24.  But he added that his government realizes that achieving
NATO membership "is a process" that will take time.  It will be a "process
of evolution."

Speaking before the Atlantic Council of the United States, Szent-Ivanyi said
he has discussed "acceleration of the process" with officials from the
State Department and the National Security Council.  He also said meetings
with members of Congress have been "encouraging."

Hungary "is looking for a viable, workable way" to help the enlargement
process go forward as rapidly as possible," he said.

"The first steps have been taken," referring to Hungary's participation in
the Partnership for Peace (PFP), Szent-Ivanyi remarked.  "PFP is a good
tool for preparation" to join NATO, he added.

Svent-Ivanyi said the Hungarian view is that the criteria for joining NATO
should be as clear as possible.  "PFP should be a real corridor to NATO
membership," he said.

The criteria should include a requirement to govern democratically in an
economic system that is free-market oriented; human rights also must be
respected, Szent-Ivanyi noted.  He said that Hungary meets those
conditions.  The country has "a clear Atlantic orientation" and a "clear
commitment" to human rights and democratic and free market values, he
added.

"We don't need a long list of criteria, such that no country could fulfill,
even existing members," Svent-Ivanyi said -- but clear, succinct criteria
that also would include civilian control of the military, he said.  The
Hungarian official said that the very process of enlargement of NATO would
help "strengthen democracy in the region."

Svent-Ivanyi stressed that Hungary does not "want a free ride."  The country
is interested in "full-scale membership" of NATO with all the duties as
well as the benefits that membership entails, he said.

As far as Russia's position on NATO enlargement is concerned, Svent-Ivanyi
said that his country is sensitive "to the genuine, security interests of
1ussia."  He added: "We should learn, study and get to know their
arguments."

Hungary "is not interested in hurting Russia" by joining NATO or in any
other way, Svent-Ivanyi said.  "But we cannot accept security interests on
the part of Russia extending to our territory," he remarked.  Hungary must
make its own decisions about its own security, he said.

Svent-Ivanyi said he is sure that "NATO enlargement will not hurt Russia."
Indeed, NATO "may include Russia itself sometime," he noted.  "But that is
not for today or tomorrow," he added.

However, Svent-Ivanyi said that it is "not reasonable to exclude Russia
forever" from NATO membership.  But membership enlargement must be gradual
because NATO "does not have the digestive capacity" to enlarge rapidly, he
said.

Svent-Ivanyi pointed out that public opinion polls in Russia indicate "the
vast majority of people don't object to NATO enlargement."  Some members of
elites object, "but it is not an issue in daily life in Russia," he added.

For that reason, Svent-Ivanyi said his government's view is that NATO
enlargement "will not provoke extremists in Russia.  On the contrary, too
much restraint may encourage extremists," he said.

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