1.
SV INT: French Premier Raymond Barre enters room and is greeted by Hungarian leader Janos Kadar.
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2.
SV: Kadar and Barre with French and Hungarian officials gathered at table. (TWO SHOTS)
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3.
CU: Kadar with newsmen in background.
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4.
CU: Barre PAN TO French delegation members.
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5.
SV: Both leaders talking across table.
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Mr. Barre told newsmen he had also had a round of talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Gyoergy Lazar. After the first of these, a special group of senior government officials had been formed to work out how to stimulate further exchanges of industrial, scientific and technological products. At present, two non-EEC countries, Austria and Brazil, also rank ahead of France in Hungary's list of trading partners.




Initials JS/1945



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: French Prime Minister Raymond Barre is on a three-day visit to Hungary, primarily to boost economic ties with Hungary. Hungarian leader, Janos Kadar accepted his invitation, on behalf of President Giscard d'Estaing, to visit France next year.

SYNOPSIS: Mr. Kadar and Prime Minister Barre had their first talks soon after the French visitor arrived in Budapest on Thursday (27 October). The invitation from President Giscard was the third that Mr. Janos has received from a European Economic Community country. Earlier this year, he travelled to Rome and Bonn for talks with government leaders. Italy and West Germany have become Budapest's most important western trading partners and France is seeking a larger slice of the pie.

Premier Barre said later that he and Mr. Janos had agreed that their mutual trade, while satisfactory, was in a state of hibernation. Hungary, however, has complained that trade has flowed too heavily in France's favour. Hungary has recorded a 33.7 million dollar trade deficit with France so far this year.

In asking France to ease its import conditions, Mr. Kadar pointed out that such restrictions throughout the EEC were a problem for Hungary and other Eastern European countries. Details would be left to experts who would draw up plans to enlarge bilateral trade.

At later talks, Mr. Kadar and Premier Barre discussed political issues.