In short (2)

Imre Hollai of Hungary, new president of the UN General Assembly, has not started off with the kind of balanced impartiality required of his job. His comments that the ''killings in Afghanistan are largely exaggerated compared to what is happening in Lebanon'' were more suitable for a propaganda statement in Moscow or Budapest than for a public news conference at the UN.

Mr. Hollai has an opportunity to counter the public image of the UN as an organization hostage to nationalist interests and ideologies. He does himself - and the General Assembly - a disservice by parading his political colors.