Hungarian Americans Statement by the President.

I want to take the opportunity of this visit to New Brunswick to salute our many citizens of Hungarian heritage. While retaining strong attachments to their 1,000-year-old homeland, Hungarian Americans have made outstanding contributions to the welfare and the cultural richness of our Nation.

Early this year we commemorated the bicentennial of the death of Col. Michael Kovats de Fabricy, a hero of our Revolutionary War who died while defending Charleston, South Carolina, from occupation by British forces. Colonel de Fabricy's heroism symbolized the centuries-old devotion of Hungarians to freedom and liberty. Many of us recall vividly the tragic events of 1956 and the spirit that inspired them 23 years ago this week.

Although we continue to have disagreements with the present Hungarian Government over many questions of political freedom and basic human and social values, our relations have improved substantially. One important move in this improvement was the return of the Crown of Saint Stephen to the Hungarian people in January 1978. As a result, the thousand-year-old crown is back in its ancestral homeland, on dignified public display where it can be seen by Hungarians and persons of Hungarian descent from around the world.