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By James Morrison

TENSIONS RISING

Hungary's new foreign minister fears that the victories of extremist political parties in the European elections signal frustration among some voters in countries that have weak democracies or large foreign populations.

"Because of underdeveloped democracies and lack of sovereignty in the past, tensions are growing," Peter Balazs told the European Institute in Washington on Wednesday.

Parties that oppose immigration, especially from Muslim countries, or hold strong nationalist views made gains in European Parliament elections in Austria, Britain, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania and Slovakia. Conservative and social democratic parties still hold the majority in the 736-seat Parliament.

Mr. Balazs cited "unstable political structures," economic decline and extremist movements as "warning signs" in many countries that recently joined the 27-member European Union.

"The main danger is nationalism -- outdated nationalism -- going back to the slogans of the 19th century or bad times of the 20th century," he said.

Some of the new EU members suffer from a lack of historical nationhood, he added, referring to some former communist nations and countries with borders that have changed radically over the years.

"Many of these nations were reborn with no sovereign, independent status for centuries," Mr. Balazs said. "Hungary has seven neighbors with Austria and Romania mostly unchanged, but others have changed names, shapes and borders."

Mr. Balazs, who was appointed to his position in April, is making his first visit to Washington as foreign minister. He met Wednesday with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and had other meetings scheduled with leaders of the congressional Hungarian caucus.

STRANGE BEDFELLOWS