U.S. "shocked" at Hungarian plans to honour WW2 anti-Semite

* Envoy calls plans for statue of fascist "incomprehensible"
* Diplomats and Jewish leaders protest
* Local mayor appears to retreat from earlier support

By Marton Dunai
SZEKESFEHERVAR, Hungary, Dec 13 (Reuters) - A U.S. envoy
said on Sunday Washington was shocked by plans to erect a statue
of Balint Homan, who contributed to murderous anti-Semitism in
Hungary in the 1930s and 40s.
"From the U.S. government perspective we feel very strongly
that history and the damage that this man did to Hungarian
citizens who happened to be Jewish cannot be ignored, and to put
up that statue seems incomprehensible," Ira Forman, special
envoy against anti-Semitism, told Reuters.
Hungary's Jewish community has called on the right-wing
government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz party to
block the statue.
The private Balint Homan Foundation in Szekesfehervar, west
of Budapest, wants to honour a man who was an eminent historian
and minister of religion and education before and during World
War Two.
Homan was a proponent of anti-Jewish laws and a Nazi
supporter to the end of the war. After it he was jailed and died
in prison in 1951.
The central European nation still grapples with its past,
including its active role in deporting half a million Jews.
Reuters could not reach the foundation for comment.
Forman has travelled to Hungary to discuss Homan's wartime
role at a conference next week. On Sunday he attended a Hanukkah
candle-lighting ceremony at the small square in Szekesfehervar
where the statue could stand.
"We think its important to know what this man did to
Hungarian citizens in the 1930s and 40s, taking away their
citizenship rights and then arguing for them to be deported,
which eventually meant going to Auschwitz," Forman said.
"Honouring a man like that - we're shocked by it. It's not
our decision but we're here to say we are shocked by it and we
think the world should know about who this person (was) and that
people are considering putting a statue up."
Forman was joined in lighting the eight Hanukkah candles by
top Israeli and Canadian diplomats in Hungary, as well as
leaders of the Hungarian Jewish community.
"Tonight we celebrate the last candle of Hanukkah," Israeli
Ambassador Ilan Mor said.
"Let us hope that the light of the candle we will chase away
darkness, that the light of these candles will show the way to
the people of Szekesfehervar, the leaders of the city, to the
right decision, not to erect this statue."
Szekesfehervar's Mayor Andras Cser-Palkovics, a Fidesz
member, on Friday appeared to retreat from his earlier support
for the statue, saying external pressure was so high that the
foundation behind the project should "reconsider" its plans.
"If the Balint Homan Foundation decides to erect the planned
statue anyway - which it is entitled to in a democracy - then
the City Council of Szekesfehervar asks them to repay funds it
has received from the city and the state," he added.
Several government members have said they disagree with the
statue and considered it ill-conceived.
Justice Minister Laszlo Trocsanyi, whose predecessor granted
15 million forints ($52,000) towards the statue, said the
ministry faced a "technical necessity" to execute an earlier
decision. He did not elaborate.

(Editing by Andrew Roche)