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MDLIAN 2444
DECEMBER BY ISTVAN MAJOR (DIRECTOR GENERAL, INTERNATIONAL DIVISION, MINISTRY OF TRADE), WHO HAD MET OFFICIALS IN THE HONG KONG DTI, ON A VISIT ARRANGED BY THE HONG KONG TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.
IN CONCLUSION, UJLAKI SAID THAT HUNGARY WAS AWARE OF PRC SENSITIV- ITIES AND HAD NO WISH TO CREATE PROBLEMS. THEY HAD ACCORDINGLY SOUNDED OUT THE PRC AMBASSADOR, WHO HAD INDICATED THAT THE PRC WOULD HAVE NO OBJECTIONS TO THESE REQUESTS BEING MET.
4. HARBORNE MERELY SAID THAT HE HAD NOTED THE MFA'S REQUESTS AND THAT WE WOULD DO WHAT WE COULD TO HELP.
COMMENT
5. THE VISA APPLICATIONS FROM THE 18 PERSON DELEGATION IS ALREADY WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT COUR TELNO IMMIG 30 OF 26 MARCH). IT INCLUDES THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT, COMMUNICATIONS AND CONSTRUCTION, THE HEAD OF THE NATIONAL PLANNING OFFICE AND THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF HUNGARY'S MAJOR COMMERCIAL BANK. BOTH THEIR AND UJLAKI'S PURPOSE ARE SERIOUS, AND CONSISTENT WITH HUNGARY'S DEVELOPING RELATIONS WITH JAPAN AND SOUTH KOREA. THE WISH TO DEVELOP COMMERCIAL RELATIONS WITH HONG KONG IS LIKEWISE MOTIVATED BY NATIONAL ECONOMIC INTERESTS AND, BEING BASED ON COMMERCIAL CONSIDERATIONS, IS OF POTENTIAL BENEFIT TO HONG KONG TOO. AS THE WITHDRAWAL OF SOVIET TROOPS AND THE GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS HAVE DEMONSTRATED, HUNGARY IS NEITHER COMMUNIST NOR A TROJAN HORSE. TO ACHIEVE HER AIM OF BEING A PROSPEROUS EUROPEAN DEMOCRACY, A NORMAL RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE OF THE GREAT TRADING AND INVESTMENT CENTRES IS AN ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE GOAL. I HOPE THAT THESE REQUESTS CAN BE MET.
BIRCH
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
74
LIMITED
EED
JAU/EED
HKD
DISTRIBUTION
76
PAGE
ECONOMIC ADVISERS
PS/MR WALDEGRAVE
PS/MR MAUDE
PS/PUS
2
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