OMRI DAILY DIGEST
No. 142, 24 July 1996

U.S. HOUSE CALLS FOR NATO EXPANSION. The House of Representatives on 23
July called for expansion of the military alliance and authorized up to
$60 million to help Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary to prepare
for membership, Reuters reported on 23 July. The leading applicant
countries were said to have made the most progress on meeting NATO
criteria. But the bill left the timetable for these countries' entry
uncertain. According to the measure, which yet has to be taken up by the
Senate, the aid could be extended to other countries of the region in
the future upon the approval of the U.S. president. Representative
Benjamin Gilman, who serves as chairman of the International Relations
Committee, said neither the United States nor the new European
democracies "can afford to wait any longer" and the bill was needed to
keep pressure on the US administration to seek prompt enlargement of
NATO. -- Zsofia Szilagyi

ROMANIA FEARS NATO BASES IN HUNGARY. Defense Minister Gheorghe Tinca
said in an interview with the Hungarian daily Magyar Nemzet that his
country fears that the setting up of NATO bases on Hungarian territory
might encourage "Hungarian extremist forces," the daily Evenimentul
zilei reported on 24 July. Tinca said these forces might believe the
NATO presence would make it possible for them to achieve "their decades-
long dream" of "recuperating Transylvania." -- Michael Shafir

[As of 12:00 CET]

Compiled by Carla Atkinson