Hungary's Communist Party and an independent political group soon will begin talks on political issues, including the possibility of establishing a multiparty system, a Communist official said Friday.
Janusz Berecz, Politburo member in charge of propaganda for the Hungarian Socialist Workers Party, and Zoltan Biro, representing the independent Democratic Forum, discussed the prospects for cooperation on Hungarian Radio's program."There is no domestic political issue on which the two parties cannot reach agreement," Berecz said, referring to the forum although it is not legally considered a party. "The point is to maintain dialogue."
He said talks between the Hungarian Socialist Workers Party and the Democratic Forum would begin in late January or early February.
"1988 was a year of decisive change with the emergence of the Hungarian Democratic Forum," Berecz said. "The HSWP also has to acknowledge the trend, which has been emerging in Hungarian society for more than a decade. It has to shake hands with the HDF."
Biro agreed 1988 was an exciting year but added, "I am still overwhelmed with doubts about whether we will be strong enough to pull the carriage out of the mud."
Berecz said the emergence of a multiparty system is not dependent on the Communist Party alone.