Hungary United States
Crown of Saint Stephen, which the United States returned to
Hungary in 1978
Courtesy Gustav Forster
Relations between Hungary and the United States began
to warm
in 1978 when the United States returned the Crown of Saint
Stephen to Hungary (the crown had fallen into American
hands
after World War II). High-level political contacts took
place
rather frequently in the 1980s. Hungary benefited from
these
contacts because the United States kept it abreast of the
course
of Soviet-United States arms control negotiations. In 1986
Secretary of State George Shultz visited Hungary, and in
1987
Central Committee secretary Szuros visited the United
States. In
the summer of 1988, General Secretary Grosz paid a ten-day
visit
to the United States.
Hungary has taken certain steps to improve its
relations with
the United States. The Department of State has reacted
favorably
to Hungary's efforts in the area of human rights. United
States
officials have also praised the introduction of market
mechanisms
in the Hungarian economy.
In 1986 trade between Hungary and the United States
amounted
to US$345 million. The Hungarian government sought the
renewal of
most-favored-nation status on a three-year cycle rather
than
annually to facilitate planning in the foreign trade
sector.
During his visit in 1988, Grosz devoted most of his
attention to
economic matters, seeking to encourage greater and more
varied
cooperation between the two countries. The United States
responded by allowing Hungary to open a trade bureau on
the
Pacific coast.
Data as of September 1989
|