Thanx to Janos Szekeres for writing to the Washington Post to set Mr.
Richard Cohen's op-ed column straight.  Mr. Cohen apparently likes to
make or re-mold history in making a comment as Hungary's former
administration was a war monger.  In fact the opposite was true.

Mr Szekeres righly wrote to the editor of the Post and they were kind
enough to print his comments on July 22, 1997.

I think it s very important to try to set the record straight and fix our
tarnished image both at home and here in the states.  The mistakes, the
falsities, the misconceptions cannot be allowed to go on.

I congratulate ALL who help to set the record straight.

Moreover, I would also like to add to those voices who are asking that
the Treaty of Trianon be revisited, re analyzed and corrected.  I believe
that it is time.  If done correctly, it could only bring advantages to
all Hungarian people regardless of the physical boundaries they are
currently within.

Peter Soltesz

At 09:08 PM 7/22/97 -0400, Peter Soltesz wrote:

<snip>
>I think it s very important to try to set the record straight and fix our
>tarnished image both at home and here in the states.  The mistakes, the
>falsities, the misconceptions cannot be allowed to go on.

What were the mistakes, falsities and misconceptions that were said of
Hungary?

>I congratulate ALL who help to set the record straight.
>
>Moreover, I would also like to add to those voices who are asking that
>the Treaty of Trianon be revisited, re analyzed and corrected.  I believe
>that it is time.  If done correctly, it could only bring advantages to
>all Hungarian people regardless of the physical boundaries they are
>currently within.

The Treaty of Trianon can not be "revisited" or "corrected".  It is a done
deal.  What we >can< do is to make sure that the minority Hungarian
populations in neighbouring countries are not mistreated.  We should also
do whatever we can to make sure that those minority cultures flourish.
Anything beyond that would probably lead to conflict.

What will you do next, Peter?  Are you wanting to "correct" or "revisit"
the American Declaration of Independence and reunite the US to England?
Or, what would you do if Turkey wanted to reclaim ALL of >its< lost
territories.  Actually, if Turkey reclaimed its lost territories, most
Hungarians would be in one state - Turkey.  What would you say to that?

Joe Szalai

"I see not much difference between ourselves & the Turks, save that we have
foreskins and they none, that they have long dresses and we short, and that
we talk much and they little. In England the vices in fashion are whoring &
drinking, in Turkey, sodomy and smoking."
          --- Lord Byron

Joe Szalai wrote:
>The Treaty of Trianon can not be "revisited" or "corrected".  It is a done
>deal.
The treaty of Trianon lost its validity with the two Vienna decisions and
the invasion of Yugoslavia- not that it wasn't a fitting demise.
Unfortunately what is valid is the Paris treaty of 1947, which is worse:
1. While the Trianon treaty did recognize minority collective rights,( not
enforced, but at least it was on paper) such is not the case with
"Paris"..Only individual rights are recognized.
2. It ceded a small, but important beachhead to Czechoslovakia (now
Slovakia) on the South shore of the Danube. Just enough for the Slovaks to
dam up the Danube. Without the beachhead there would not be a Bos/Gabcikovo
problem.

In other words, much as we deplore Trianon, we'd be better off than with
"Paris". To get minority rights recognized, the Hungarian government, the EU
have to coax the neighbors. Not the best position to be in.

Andy.