Hungary Votes to Leave Warsaw Pact by 1992

The Hungarian Parliament voted unanimously today in favor of Hungary’s withdrawal from the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact by the end of 1991.

Parliament approved a motion submitted a month ago by the liberal Free Democrats, and amended later in two parliamentary committees, with 232 votes for and none against. There were four abstentions.

All six political parties represented in the chamber were in favor of the proposal, which binds the government to start negotiations with Warsaw Pact members on Hungary’s withdrawal from the Soviet-led military alliance.

“The Warsaw Pact has no reason to exist any more,” Deputy Foreign Minister Tomas Katona told parliament, noting that the government supported the proposal.

Katona said the desired goal would be the total dissolution of the pact by a joint resolution. But if other members want to sustain it, Hungary would withdraw from the organization by the end of 1991 at the latest.

Katona said Hungary should proceed carefully during the negotiations to avoid endangering the Vienna disarmament talks and the current Soviet troop withdrawals from Hungary.

He also warned that unless the negotiations were circumspect, there was a danger that Hungary would be isolated and wedged between the Warsaw Pact and NATO.