Chirac salutes Hungary's "exemplary" preparation for joining EU

French President Jacques Chirac praised Hungary's "exemplary" and "enthusiastic" preparation for joining the European Union on May 1, in a newspaper interview published here ahead of an official visit he was to begin on Monday.

"Hungary has completed its preparation for EU integration in exemplary fashion. It did so with enthusiasm and conviction," Chirac told the daily Nepszabadsag before starting a two-day visit, his second to Hungary since 1997.

Hungary is one of eight former communist countries in central and eastern Europe among the 10 new entrants to the EU.

"What progress you have achieved in the last seven years. Your institutions are now working like ours, in a transparent and inclusive manner. Many French people have growing admiration for Hungary's young democracy," Chirac said.

He urged Hungary, which has a Socialist-Liberal coalition in power, to continue along its current road and to "defend your identity, remain yourselves while becoming part of Europe."

Chirac said France would open its doors to Hungarian students, but he was also in favour of establishing a francophone university in Hungary.

"Like France, Hungary is a land of knowledge. Our universities are among Europe's oldest ... it is normal that we would work together to establish a francophone university, bringing together our knowledge in an institution open to the new European reality."