No

No. 1 (02/05/99) A Quarter of the Euro-Atlantic Integration

Summary of November 1998

2nd November

Javier Solana, NATO chief secretary, declared: the Organisation will prevent Albanian armed forces from occupying the positions of the Serbian forces withdrawn from Kosovo, according to Richard Holbrooke, American peace negotiator, the Serbian forces are performing a large-scale withdrawal. - If the Serbians do not fulfil their obligations, then NATO will order the bombing of Serbian targets, added Holbrooke.

13th November

Fidesz supports the idea that in the future Hungary would give a home to a NATO centre or headquarters at a medium level, due to its geopolitical-strategic role in the Eastern Central European region. István Simicskó, deputy leader and foreign policy spokesman of Fidesz’s parliamentary fraction talked about the idea. Simicskó, who is also deputy chairman of the National Assembly’s Defence Committee, finds on the basis of his discussions held at the NATO centre in Brussels and at the main headquarters of Mons that the North Atlantic Organisation is very open to the idea.

17th November

For Hungary the commitment to NATO is of basic importance, but it is not in contradiction with strengthening the European Defence Identity, emphasised János Martonyi, foreign minister, at the Western European Union’s council held in Rome. At the same time a Hungarian communication office was opened in Naples, at NATO’s South European Headquarters.

18th November

There is an increasing chance for the three invited states, with Hungary among them, to join NATO in February, before the Washington summit to be held in April. At the summit it is expected that the second round of the extension will not be announced.

20th November

In Brussels NATO ambassadors decided on maintaining the number of people in the SFOR in Bosnia. They approved the report from military specialists recommending that the international unit of 30 thousand people be left as it is. Hungary continues to participate in the SFOR operation. The three elements of Hungary’s contribution are still the operation of the base in Taszár, the logistical support of the northern brigade in Pécs and the Bosnian activity of the Hungarian technical contingent. Hungary is not sending officers to the special police unit presently consisting of about 600 people, because in Hungary there is no appropriate institutional background for it, that is military police. Also, drawing in the police corps would be the same as armed participation, which Hungary has always tried to avoid.

24th November

Hungary is making a good progress in accomplishing the army development objectives needed for NATO accession, said Ferenc Végh, colonel-general, senior officer of the Hungarian Army, at the meeting of NATO chiefs of staff. On the part of the Organisation, they announced that Hungary joining earlier than April depends on the accomplishment of military objectives. Speaking at the meeting evaluating the preparation Ferenc Végh said that Hungary had prepared a new medium-term strategy and a long-term concept in connection with the accession. Every necessary element aiding accession is built into it.

25th November

According to NATO the lack of appropriate knowledge of languages causes the most problems in the course of the preparation of the applicants. For example, in Hungary 67 of 8 thousand non-commissioned officers speak acceptable English. The situation is made even more serious by that in the South European Headquarters, where Hungary will belong, the knowledge of languages is bad anyway. Ferenc Végh, colonel-general, who took part in the meeting of NATO chiefs of staff in Brussels, said: In the Hungarian army language teaching is not communication orientated, so the majority of the officers and under-officers cannot communicate effectively despite the fact that they have a language certificate. Hungary has made an agreement with four member countries (Great-Britain, the United States, Canada, the Netherlands), so soldiers can be sent there for language training courses lasting for two or three months.

26th November

The obligation of mutual help will also be valid with respect to Hungary after NATO accession. The constitution and certain provisions of law need to be amended in order to provide a legal basis for foreign armed forces being able to perform service in Hungary and Hungarian soldiers performing service abroad, as was said at the meeting organised entitled: The National Assembly and NATO Accession. Baldwin de Vidts, legal adviser to NATO chief secretary explained at the meeting that even in such cases national sovereignty does not need to be given up, NATO membership does not mean a “free passport” for the soldiers of the foreign countries. NATO is not an organisation above the nations, but rather an inter-governmental organisation. The sovereign member states can decide on whether foreign armed forces can travel through the country or maybe stay there.

27th November

They did not mention dates at all in NATO’s centre to Mikulás Dzurinda, Slovakian head of state, who tried to convince his hosts about his country’s suitability. According to a NATO ambassador in the second round Slovakia will be accepted, if it fulfils the requirements of accession. In a short period this has been Dzurinda’s second lobby trip to Brussels where he was encouraged again, and Javier Solana, chief secretary emphasised that he appreciates Slovakia’s democratic efforts very much, but he avoided giving an answer when he was asked about the country’s integration chances.

Summary of December 1998

1st December

It is expected that there will be no obstacles to the National Assembly amending the constitution in the middle of December because of Hungary’s accession to NATO.

2nd December

In NATO member states the ratification of the three applicants’ accession records was finished after the Dutch senate also approved of the acceptance of Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland. Javier Solana is to send a letter of invitation to the three countries. The ratification of the Hungarian and Polish legislature is to take place in the future as well as the submittal of the accession documents in Washington.

3rd December

For the time being there is no chance that the amendment of the constitution in connection with the country’s NATO membership will be adopted, as it turned out from the discussion of the proposal in Parliament. The MSZP and SZDSZ supports Hungary’s full NATO membership, but it does not agree to the amendment of the constitution, as the coalition voted against the people recommended as chairpersons of the investigating committee initiated by the two opposition parties. According to the coalition this attitude endangers Hungary’s accession to the military organisation.

5th December

If the minimum requirements are fulfilled, then Hungary can take part in the jubilee NATO summit to be held in April already as a member state. Formal accession may take place in February or March.

8th December

Hungary, with the Czech Republic and Poland, may win full NATO membership by about the end of February or the beginning of March. A decision with respect to this will be made at the NATO council meeting to be held in Brussels, said Zsolt Németh.

The three invited countries will become full members of NATO before the Washington summit to be held in April, as was said at the meeting of the foreign ministers of the Atlantic Organisation. The applicants also took part in discussing NATO’s new strategic concept, where they also talked about when the Organisation should intervene beyond its borders and whether it should be the first to use nuclear weapons.

17th December

Hungary takes part in NATO’s Defence Planning Committee for the first time at ministerial level, where they also discuss to what extent Hungary has prepared for the accession. In contradiction with earlier news NATO is satisfied with the Hungarian preparation, said the Brussels authorities.

28th December

The Ministry of Defence and the Hungarian Army intend to make a film series consisting of twelve parts to propagate NATO accession. The skeleton contract was signed by Ferenc Végh, colonel-general, chief of staff on the part of the Army and by Lóránt Horváth, deputy managing director of Hungarian Television.

Summary of January 1999

4th January

Hungary and two of its old-new allies must discuss again the agreement on European traditional weapons (CFE). This will be one of our most important tasks this year, said Gábor Bódi, ambassador, leader of the Viennese Hungarian EBESZ mission.

7th January

The official acceptance of the new member states may be finished in March: then the ceremonial hoisting of the Czech, Polish and Hungarian national flags will take place at NATO headquarters in Brussels. The final parliamentary voting (presumably in agreement with Warsaw) could take place after the letter of invitation is received from Solana, chief secretary, probably before the end of this month.

8th January

The most certain sign of NATO membership expected to be gained in March is that within a few days Hungarian diplomats delegated to the Organisation can move in the newly built office building in the centre in Brussels. Presently the delegates of the three applicants (Hungarian, Czech and Polish) are preparing for the accession in nineteen offices per country.

9th January

In NATO, behind closed doors, they are discussing the further extension and the new strategic concept to be submitted at the Washington summit. As it is for certain now that Hungary will become a full member of the Organisation before the summit, expectedly at the beginning of March, Hungary can also join in the last and most delicate phase of the discussions.

12th January

Hungary must join NATO’s internal communication system, which can be described as a modern issue of the K-line, “at forced pace”, before the beginning of March at the latest.

16th January

Hungary lost the first NATO tender: the amount that could be applied for for establishing the communication network connecting Hungary with the organisation was won by a Czech limited partnership. In this way Matáv will take part in the investment only as a sub-contractor. According to NATO’s common practices the two-envelope system was used: one of them contains the technical bid and the other one the price bid. In the case of the companies that have passed the first filter they also open the envelope containing the price, and the winner is the applicant which makes the most favourable bid.

26th January

NATO’s authority extends to the Euro-Atlantic region, and it must also guarantee safety at distant points like Kazahstan or Georgia, but the organisation will not become the world’s police force, said Javier Solana, chief secretary in his interview given to an Italian paper.

Fidesz initiates six-party negotiations to be held next week on the constitution amendment in connection with NATO accession.

27th January

This year’s budget cannot, but next year’s budget can provide some possibility for the modernisation of the Hungarian Army’s MIG-29 fighters, informed his Russian negotiating partners János Kárász, deputy state secretary of the Ministry of Defence.

The leaders of the Ministry of Defence are considering the reduction of the number of pilots, as they can fly significantly fewer hours than desired. The twelve pilots who can perform service in the framework of NATO will also be able to fly only 70 hours instead of 100.

János Szabó, minister of defence, discharged Ambrus Preininger and Attila Kositzky lieutenant-generals, chiefs of staff of the land forces and the air forces. As it was pointed out by the minister, his decision was professional rather than political. Presumably András Havril major-general will be appointed chief of the land forces and István Talla will be appointed chief of the air forces on 23rd February.

28th January

The government submits the constitution amendment proposal in connection with NATO accession to the National Assembly again, the version to which five parliamentary parties have already agreed.

NATO will not hesitate to use force, if the antagonistic parties in Kosovo are not willing to find a solution for the crisis through negotiations, said Javier Solana, chief secretary. In the unusually strict warning the chief secretary called both parties to fulfil the requirements of the international community, and if they fail to do so, the Atlantic Organisation may decide on military intervention.

29th January

Javier Solana, NATO chief secretary, sent the letter of invitation to the foreign minister of the three Central European applicants. After the final voting in parliament the applicants will deposit the accession documents in Washington, and then they can become official full members. According to the plans the accession of the new members will take place in the first week of March, so they will be able to have their say in the internal discussions about the further extension of the Organisation and the new strategic concept basically determining the organisation’s activity.

30th January

NATO member states authorised Javier Solana, chief secretary to order air-bombing against Serbia, if the antagonistic parties of Kosovo fail to come to an agreement at the peace negotiations.

According to József Szájer, Fidesz fraction leader, the National Assembly will start to discuss the ratification on 8th February, and on the next day the final voting can also take place.

On 4th February the six parliamentary parties will start discussing again the constitution amendment in connection with NATO accession.