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Hungary Relations with the West
In the 1970s and 1980s, the consensus between regime
and
society in Hungary called for political support for the
regime in
return for improvements in the standard of living and a
loosening
of regime controls over society. Hungary needed Western
economic
support to raise its standard of living. Western economic
support
also entailed a modicum of political support. Hungary put
out
feelers to Austria as early as 1964 and sought to use that
country--a permanent neutral--as a bridge to the West.
Subsequently, the Hungarians turned to West Germany,
historically
the country's most important trade partner in Central
Europe. In
the mid- to late 1980s, Hungary has also sought to improve
relations with Britain and the United States. In each
case,
Hungary wanted increased trade and cultural contacts. By
contrast, in 1988 Hungary had only begun to cultivate
relations
with France, and economic and cultural contacts with that
country
therefore remained at a low level.
Data as of September 1989
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