From: dstein@vesta.math.ucla.edu (David Stein)
Subject: RFE 214
Organization: UCLA Mathematics Department
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 92 16:58:23 GMT


                      RFE/RL Daily Report

                                          No. 214, 5 November 1992

OTHER EAST EUROPEAN REACTIONS.  Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus
sent a telegram expressing his conviction that the traditionally
close ties between the US and the Czech Republic would continue
under the new administration, adding that they constituted the
cornerstone of Czech foreign policy.  Slovak Premier Vladimir
Meciar called Clinton's victory a logical reaction to world
developments and said that the change of administration would have
little impact on the region. Hungarian Prime Minister Jozsef
Antall said that outgoing President George Bush had played an
important role for the countries of Eastern Europe, enabling the
development of close ties between Hungary and the US.
Congratulating Clinton, Antall assured him that Hungary would
remain a partner for the US in settling conflicts and in creating
democracy. Bulgarian President Zhelyu Zhelev told Trud daily he
welcomed Clinton's election as a sign that "a new generation would
enter American politics." At the same time, Zhelev said he had
always been sympathetic to George Bush, who had developed a fine
relationship with Bulgaria.  Romanian President Ion Iliescu
expressed the hope that Romania and the US would cooperate closely
during the forthcoming "period of change." (RFE/RL ARD Staff.)

NEW MECIAR STATEMENTS ON HUNGARY, PRESS. At a meeting with
Bratislava residents on 4 November, Slovak Prime Minister Vladimir
Meciar declared that Slovakia's recently won sovereignty would
"not be abandoned to Hungary" and his government would prevent
"Hungarians from harming Slovaks," CSTK reported. Meciar also said
that he would not allow "journalistic scribblers to besmirch" him.
The Prime Minister indicated that the freedom of the press had its
limits and that the Slovak state would occasionally have to
intervene in the media's work.  (Jan Obrman, RFE/RL, Inc.)

GABCIKOVO DISCUSSED AT U.N. Hungarian and Czechoslovakian
ambassadors to the United Nations traded charges and accusations
on the controversial Gabcikovo dam project on 4 November,
according to news reports. At a General Assembly debate on
environmental issues, Hungarian representative Andre Erdos said
the unilateral diversion of the Danube to Slovakia contradicted
the spirit of the CSCE process and the U.N. Charter; that the
action threatened drinking water reserves; and infringed upon
Hungarian sovereignty.  Czechoslovak Ambassador Eduard Kukan
replied that the diversion was "provisional and reversible." He
denied that the navigational channel at Gabcikovo had resulted in
any border change. (Jan Obrman, RFE/RL, Inc.)

CZECHOSLOVAK WEAPONS TO SUDAN? The Czechoslovak army is apparently
trying to sell some of its surplus hardware to Sudan.  CSTK
reported on 4 November that a Czechoslovak air force transporter
delivered an armored personnel carrier to Sudan.  According to the
agreement on conventional disarmament in Europe, Czechoslovakia
may sell some surplus equipment, including 500 main battle tanks;
710 personnel carriers; 778 pieces of heavy artillery; and 88
military aircraft.  It is still unclear who gave the order to
begin negotiations with the Sudanese military on a possible arms
deal, but the federal interior ministry declared that it gave no
permission to do so.  But the federal Minister of Defense, Imrich
Andrejcak claimed that such a permit had been issued. Sudan is
considered a "risk area" by the Czechoslovak government and all
arms deliveries to the country require a special permit.
Observers believe that the Czechoslovak arms deliveries to Sudan
might be financed by Iran. (Jan Obrman, RFE/RL, Inc.)

RUSSIA RULES ON BORDERS.  The Russian Supreme Soviet overrode
government objections on 4 November and unilaterally declared the
current administrative borders with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania
as the official state border. Interfax said deputies rejected the
suggestion that the border should be the subject of a negotiated
interstate treaty, a position the Baltic states hold as well.
(Riina Kionka, RFE/RL, Inc.)

The RFE/RL Daily Report is a digest of the latest developments
in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. It is published
Monday through Friday (except German holidays) by the RFE/RL
Research Institute (a division of Radio Free Europe/Radio
Liberty, Inc.). Copyright 1992 RFE/RL, Inc.

The RFE/RL Daily Report is produced by the RFE/RL Research
Institute (a division of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Inc.)
with the assistance of the RFE/RL News and Current Affairs
Division (NCA). The report is available by electronic mail
via LISTSERV (RFERL-L@UBVM.CC.BUFFALO.EDU), on the
Sovset' computer bulletin board, by fax, and by postal mail.

Copyright 1992, RFE/RL, Inc. All rights reserved.

--
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I'm not a native speaker of English, so I'm not sure what I wrote.
Flames will be ignored unless you post them in perfect Czech.
================================ - David (the metamathician) - ===