[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 170 (Tuesday, October 31, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S16348-S16349]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              COMMEMORATION OF HUNGARIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, last week, the people of Hungary 
commemorated the 39th anniversary of the Hungarian people's massive 
uprising against Soviet Communist dominated rule. October 23, Hungarian 
Independence Day, marked a time when thousands of armed citizens 
battled the Red Army's military might and held the country for some 2 
weeks. President Arpad Goncz, whom I met with last week, was one of 
those who risked his life for his country's freedom--long delayed, but 
finally achieved. The bravery of those freedom loving Hungarians, 
10,000 of whom risked and lost their lives, will be remembered forever.
  As Hungary's Foreign Minister Lazlo Kovacs told a gathering at a 
Budapest ceremony last week, ``the heirs of 23 October 1956 are all 
those who * * * today contribute with their sacrifices to the creation 
of a flourishing, democratic, and independent Hungary.'' The Hungary of 
1995 is well on the road to full democracy. In my meeting last week 
with President Goncz, we discussed Hungary's economic progress, its 
successful participation in the Partnership for Peace, as well as NATO 
expansion. No doubt about it, Hungary will be among the first of the 
new democracies in Eastern Europe to join NATO and I look forward to 
that day--which I hope will be in the near future. In addition, we 
discussed Hungary's concerns about the treatment of Hungarian 
minorities in the region, and developments in the Balkans. President 
Goncz and I both agreed that a fair peace settlement in the former 
Yugoslavia, fully recognizing the rights of all nationalities, was 
crucial for any kind of permanent regional stability. I assured 
President 

[[Page S16349]]

Goncz that Hungary enjoys the friendship and support of the Congress.

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