OMRI Daily Digest
  1 SEPTEMBER 1995
  
   HUNGARY RESPONDS TO ROMANIAN PRESIDENT'S PROPOSAL. Hungarian Foreign
   Ministry spokesman Gabor Szentivanyi was quoted by Radio Bucharest on
   1 September as saying Romanian President Ion Iliescu's call for a
   "historic reconciliation" between Hungary and Romania (see OMRI Daily
   Digest, 31 August 1995) was received "with great interest" in
   Budapest. Szentivanyi told the official news agency MTI that Hungary
   is now waiting for "concrete proposals," which he said will be
   carefully studied. He commented that only a historic reconciliation
   can lead to attaining the two countries' common objective of
   "integration into Euro-Atlantic structures [and] consolidation of
   stability and security in the region and in Europe." However, he
   added, any historic reconciliation cannot ignore unresolved issues,
   including "solving the problems of national minorities in accordance
   with international norms." -- Michael Shafir, OMRI, Inc.
   
   ROMANI FESTIVAL BEGINS IN BUDAPEST. An international festival of
   Romani culture officially opened in Budapest on 31 August,
   international media reported. In a keynote speech, Hungarian President
   Arpad Goncz emphasized the importance of the Roma's contribution to
   world heritage. He noted that Roma live in many countries but are
   without their own country and thus often feel they "do not belong."
   Goncz noted that the Budapest festival would show that they and their
   culture are part of the world's heritage. Organizers of the festival,
   called "Rom Som" (which means both "I am a human being" and "I am a
   Rom") said the aim was to show the wealth of Romani culture. -- Jiri
   Pehe, OMRI, Inc.
   
   ROMANIAN PRESIDENT MEETS WITH VAN DER STOEL. OSCE High Commissioner
   for National Minorities Max van der Stoel on 31 August met with
   President Ion Iliescu, Radio Bucharest reported. Van der Stoel praised
   Iliescu's appeal the previous day for a historic reconciliation with
   Hungary, saying he hoped it will have positive echoes in both Hungary
   and the EU. Van der Stoel also met with leaders of the Hungarian
   Democratic Federation of Romania (UDMR). UDMR chairman Marko Bela told
   Romanian TV that President Iliescu's appeal is "an important
   declaration of intention, but one that flagrantly contradicts
   reality." -- Michael Shafir, OMRI, Inc.
   
   [As of 1200 CET]
   
   Compiled by Penny Morvant and Jan Cleave
   

PRESS RELEASE (95)74                      31 August 1995

                     NATO WORKSHOP ON
               "HYDROGEN MATERIALS SCIENCE
           AND THE CHEMISTRY OF METAL HYDRIDES"

A NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "Hydrogen Materials
Science and the Chemistry of Metal Hydrides" will take
place on September 2-8, 1995, at the House of Scientists,
Katsively, Ukraine.

The objectives of the Workshop are to discuss questions
connected with the use of metal hydrides mainly in energy
related applications, to consider recent experimental
results on metal hydrogen systems in the light of possible
practical applications, and to strengthen links between
scientists in the field, with particular emphasis on
Cooperation Partner scientists.

Hydrogen is believed to be the ultimate chemical fuel for
the supply of abundant clean energy for future needs.  Its
production, storage, delivery and utilization are facets
being explored vigorously by researchers around the world.

A promising line of development is that of storage in the
form of Metal Hydrides.  Hydrogen can penetrate the
lattice structure of certain metals to such an extent that
its concentration within the metal is actually higher than
in liquid hydrogen.  Ukraine is an important contributor
to the field of materials science of metal hydrides.

Seventeen key speakers and thirty three experts from
United States, Ukraine and the Russian Federation as well
as from Poland, Armenia, Belarus, Hungary, France,
Germany, Latvia and the United Kingdom will participate in
the five day workshop.  In addition to the Ukrainian
Academy of Sciences' Institute of Hydrogen and Solar
Energy, participants represent the International
Association for Hydrogen Energy (USA), the General Tupolev
Aviation Corporation, the Institut Francais du Petrole
(France), the Florida Solar Energy Center at Cape
Canaveral (USA).

Co-directors are: Prof. F.E. WAGNER (Germany, Fax: (49-89)
3206 780), and Dr. D. SHUR (Ukraine, Fax: (44-444)2078).
For further information, please contact: Dr. J.A. RAUSELL-
COLOM, Director, Programme on High Technology, NATO,
Division of Scientific and Environmental Affairs, Brussels
- Fax Number: (32-2) 728-4232.