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CONFIDENTIAL
Trade office in Hong Kong need not preclude it from offering
a visa service to Hong Kong residents. The views of the
Chinese have been sounded out in Hong Kong with the NCNA and
there was no adverse reaction. The Hungarians claim to have
spoken to the Chinese Ambassador in Budapest who said the PRC would have no objection to Hungary opening a permanent
office in Hong Kong.
7. Visa policy for Soviet and East European nationals was
relaxed by the Hong Kong Government on 16 July 1990 and as a
result visa application processing time for Hungarian
nationals (and Poles and Czechs) has been reduced to 10
working days, and purpose of visit extended to include
tourism and pleasure visits.
8.
The way forward now seems clear although further
informtion, eg to the size of the office, and date of
opening are awaited, from the Hungarians, who thought they
would be ready to open negotiations on the proposed office
some time after mid-July. They have not yet reverted. It
has been agreed here that it would not be wise to make the
establishment of this office a high profile issue during the
PM's visit to Hungary, given that it is a matter between the
Hong Kong Government and the Hungarians in an area where
Hong Kong enjoys autonomy, and also that an announcement
during this visit could be seen by the Chinese as a case of Britain using Hong Kong for its own diplomatic purposes. For much the same reasoning it is thought that there should
not be a formal agreement between Hong Kong and Hungary regarding the establishment of the trade office.
BUSAIB/3
CONFIDENTIAL