08 September 2003 01:08
Hungarian and Russian PMs Hold News Conference in Budapest -
Budapest, September 8 (MTI) - The number of problematic issues in the relationship between Hungary and Russia is
steadily declining and economic ties between the two countries are helping Hungary's economy to bounce back, Prime
Minister Peter Medgyessy said at a joint news conference on Monday with his Russian counterpart Mikail Kasynov.
In addition to the four accords signed, the Hungarian PM said that they had also reached an agreement under which an
accord on military licences would be signed within a month. Kasynov added that this would make it possible for Hungary
to continue manufacturing various types of military hardware under licences originally issued by the Soviet Union.
Both PMs underlined the importance of boosting trade. Medgyessy pointed out that this bilateral relationship would
become a defining element of Hungary's European Union membership. He noted that economic agreements would be
updated to meet EU norms.
On the issue of the return of a series or rare books taken from Hungary to the Soviet Union following World War Two,
"progress is slow but encouraging," the Hungarian PM said. He reported that a working group of experts headed
by a deputy state secretary and a deputy minister had been established to come up with a mutually acceptable
solution.
Kasynov said that Russia intended to increase its FDI to Hungary and hoped that Russian businesses would be
competitive and successful in bids for projects involving power and iron metallurgy, including the privatisation of
steel-maker Dunaferr. The Russian PM also mentioned that Russian business was vying for a share in oil and gas company
Mol, could operate a network of filling stations and could participate in construction of Budapest's new metro line
or in the possible revamping of Hungary's nuclear power plant.
Responding to a question on cooperation in nuclear energy, the Hungarian PM said that in addition to the fact that
Russian experts were already working on recovery following the incident at Hungary's nuclear power plant in Paks,
the two countries were renegotiating the exchange of fuel rods. However, there were no plans at this time to enlarge the
power plant, said Medgyessy.
Kasynov underlined the change in the spirit of bilateral relations in the past year and a half. "The status of
the relationship has become quite different. We have been able to talk over and resolve many issues already, and will
find solutions to the others, too," he said. Kasynov said his current visit was a demonstration of the fact that
bilateral relations were on the right path, and were progressing very well.
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