BUDAPEST, Hungary – The United States violated Hungarian sovereignty last
month by using the country's airspace for unauthorized purposes, the
defense minister said Saturday.

The incident occurred on Feb. 20 when six helicopters and a tanker
aircraft belonging to the U.S. Armed Forces flew over Hungary on their way
to a military base in Romania, Defense Minister Ferenc Juhasz said at an
extraordinary meeting of parliament's defense committee.

Hungary had only permitted the United States use of its airspace in
connection with the Enduring Freedom operation in Afghanistan (news – web
sites), while the Feb. 20 flights were for other, unspecified purposes,

Juhasz said the United States informed him Friday afternoon that a mix-up
had occurred and that the seven aircraft in question had not flown to
Afghanistan. "The United States apologized for the incident," Juhasz said.

Juhasz said that the government sent a "strongly worded" reply in which it
asked U.S. authorities to avoid similar mistakes in the future.

Juhasz also said the government would seek to toughen the conditions under
which it allows foreign countries use of its airspace.

Last week, parliament approved a NATO (news – web sites) request to allow
the alliance use of the country's roads, railways and airspace to send
military support to Turkey.

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