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WASHINGTON - President Bush (news - web sites) will meet with Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Medgyessy on Tuesday. Bush and Medgyessy will discuss a number of issues, including combatting terrorism, U.S.-Hungarian economic relations and two summits scheduled for later this month, the U.S.-European Union (news - web sites) summit in Ireland and the NATO (news - web sites) summit in Turkey, the White House said in a statement Friday. "Hungary is a close ally of the United States, and a valued contributor to the international effort to bring peace and democracy to Iraq (news - web sites)," the statement said....

"It sends a very negative message when a country withdraws its troups on account of terror. This sends a message that we are weak, and that terrorism is viable. It is precisely by our presence [in Iraq] that we can put the squeeze on terror, that is how we localize and restrain terror attacks..."

BUDAPEST, Hungary - It's a bold response to the mounting casualties in Iraq (news - web sites): a commitment by Hungary to keep troops there through the end of 2004. With Americans dying in nearly daily attacks, nations pulling diplomats out of harm's way and counterterrorism experts warning of accelerated violence, the U.S.-led coalition could expect a few defections. Instead, allies like Hungary insist they're prepared to stay put in Iraq come what may. "If we were attacked, would that deter us from staying there? I would say no," Defense Minister Ferenc Juhasz said in an interview with The Associated...

BUDAPEST, May 28 — Hungarian parliamentary parties agreed on Wednesday to send a 300-strong military transport and logistics unit to Iraq. Poland, a central European NATO member and EU candidate like Hungary, announced earlier on Wednesday that a multinational peacekeeping force of up to 7,500 troops under its command would be sent to Iraq in July.

U.S. soldiers in Hungary have nearly completed training the second class of Iraqi dissidents that will work as translators and liaisons for coalition forces in Iraq. About 500 Iraqi dissidents, who came from across the United States and Europe, have completed the first month-long training session and have been deployed to southwest Asia, said Army Maj. Robert Stern, spokesman for Training Task Force Warrior. He would not specify where they had gone, only that it was within Central Command’s area of responsibility. Essentially, the Iraqis, who come from various backgrounds, are receiving a condensed version of the Army’s civilian affairs...

BUDAPEST, Hungary, Mar 16, 2003 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- Hungary on Sunday approved use of its airspace by forces seeking to make Iraq comply with United Nations resolutions, the government said. Permission to use Hungary's airspace and designated airports was requested on Saturday by the United States and Britain, the government said in a statement after an extraordinary Cabinet meeting. In the statement, the Socialist-led government said it considered that the use of force against Iraq should occur "only as a last resort." Foreign Minister Laszlo Kovacs said the move did not transform Hungary into a participant in...

BUDAPEST, March 10 (AFP) - Hungary may offer 2,000 chemical defense suits in answer to a NATO request to provide military equipment to Turkey in case of war on Iraq, Defense Minister Ferenc Juhasz said Monday. The suits, complete with gas masks, are "of limited military use but are excellent for civilian purposes," the minister told MTI news agency. Juhasz said the government would decide on the offer during a session on Wednesday. The suits, of a total value of some two million euros (2.2 million dollars), would come from stock set aside for civil defense services and will have...

World - AP Europe Hungary: U.S. Military Violated Airspace Sat, Mar 01, 2003 BUDAPEST, Hungary - U.S. military aircraft violated Hungarian sovereignty last month by using the country's airspace for unauthorized purposes, the defense minister said Saturday. The incident occurred Feb. 20 when six helicopters and a tanker aircraft belonging to the U.S. armed forces flew over Hungary on their way to a military base in Romania, Defense Minister Ferenc Juhasz said at a meeting of parliament's defense committee. Hungary had only permitted the United States to use its airspace in connection with the Enduring Freedom operation in Afghanistan. But...

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) - U.S. military aircraft violated Hungarian sovereignty last month by using the country's airspace for unauthorized purposes, the defense minister said Saturday. The incident occurred Feb. 20 when six helicopters and a tanker aircraft belonging to the U.S. armed forces flew over Hungary on their way to a military base in Romania, Defense Minister Ferenc Juhasz said at a meeting of parliament's defense committee. Hungary had only permitted the United States to use its airspace in connection with the Enduring Freedom operation in Afghanistan. But the Feb. 20 flights were for other, unspecified purposes. Juhasz said the...