Dear Editor,
As an Irish and EU citizen I find these disputes between neighbouring countries worrying ("V4 leaders: Orbán went too far with Beneš statements", by Ed Holt, March 4 - 10, 2002, Vol. 8, No. 8). Ireland has had many problems with our close neighbour the UK but we have managed to settle our old disputes by 1. apologising for wrongs committed in the past and 2. by getting rid of obsolete laws which may infringe on other countries.
I think that this recent arguments between Hungary and Slovakia will damage both countries' accession to the EU, especially given that the Nice treaty has yet to be ratified and a number of Europeans are opposed to expansion.
In reality, both sides should apologise publicly for any wrongdoing in the past and present, and neighbouring countries should give up their arguments and remember their similarities, not their differences.
Many Europeans have enough reservations about expansion without these squabbles.