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Hungary Austria
Since the mid-1960s, good relations between Hungary and
Austria have resulted from a number of factors. A common
water
system, including the Danube, the Drava, and the Mur
rivers,
together with countless smaller rivers and Lake Fert
(Neusiedlersee), meant each country's use of it affected
the
other country. Means of transportation, including road and
railroad connections such as the Raba-Odenburger railroad
line,
also drew the countries together. Equally important, in
the mid1960s each country came to accept the permanence of the
other's
social system and attempted to find common areas of
agreement
despite political differences. Finally, in 1981 the two
countries
agreed that the border, which had earlier caused discord,
no
longer presented a problem.
In the 1980s, economic relations between Hungary and
Austria
were quite strong. More than 100 cooperation agreements in
areas
such as machine-building, metallurgy, pharmaceuticals,
agriculture, and light industry were in force between the
two
countries. In 1986 total trade between the two countries
amounted
to US$1.1 billion. Hungary was Austria's fourth largest
trade
partner overall, and Austria was Hungary's second largest
Western
trade partner.
The two countries also cooperated considerably in
culture,
science and technology, sports, and other fields. The
Hungarian
Cultural Institute in Vienna organized an average of fifty
events
per year, and the Austrians operated their own cultural
institute
in Budapest. In 1987 the Hungarian-Austrian Friends Circle
was
established to promote common cultural traditions and
Hungarian
interest in Austrian history and culture. In the late
1980s, the
theme that the two countries shared "a special
relationship" has
recurred in both governments' commentaries on their
political
relations. The Hungarian media also stressed the Central
European
identity and interests common to the two countries.
Data as of September 1989
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