-Caveat Lector- Hungary says it has no designs over Transylvania By Roxana Dascalu BUCHAREST, July 30 (Reuters) - Hungarian Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi on Friday dismissed suggestions by Romanian nationalists that Budapest harboured designs of reclaiming Romania's central Transylvania region. ``Those fears are mainly the result of incorrect information, or are fuelled by rumours circulated by vested interests,'' Martnonyi told reporters after two days of talks in Bucharest. He and Romanian Foreign Minister Andrei Plesu hailed warmer ties since the signing of a 1996 friendship treaty, which buried old rifts over borders and minorities. Relations improved after centrists defeated leftists in Romania's 1996 elections and formed a coalition, including a party representing the country's 1.6 million ethnic Hungarians. The ethnic Hungarian population is concentrated in Transylvania, which was under the control of the Austro-Hungarian empire until its demise in 1918. Hungarian fascists controlled much of the area during World War Two. Martonyi was due to visit Transylvania at the weekend, a week after a tour by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. He praised the Romanian government for approving legislation on education that will restore a Hungarian-language university for the first time since the 1950s. The university, fiercely opposed by nationalists and the leftist opposition, was a key issue for many Hungarians. Plesu said both countries supported international efforts for Balkan reconstruction after the Kosovo conflict. ``We discussed the future of the Yugoslav Federation, and we agreed that democratic progress is urgently needed...with secure borders as one of its preconditions,'' he said. Martonyi agreed border changes were out of the question but called for wider regional autonomy. Hungary wants more autonomy for Yugoslavia's northeastern province of Vojvodina, home to more than 300,000 ethnic Hungarians and 60,000 ethnic Romanians. ``Nobody has set forth any serious ideas on the secession of Vojvodina,'' Martonyi said. Martonyi praised Romania's support during NATO's 11-week air campaign against Yugoslavia, despite what Bucharest says are $1.0 billion in losses to its economy. He offered fresh backing for Romania's bid to join both NATO and the European Union. Romania was passed over in NATO's first expansion in favour of more developed Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic. It has also been left off a short list of candidates for EU membership. DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
