CODE 18-77
Miss Marsden
HKD
27
32
Reference....
CONFIDENTIAL
HKB
ECEIVED S
3+5/1
RY
EASTERN EUROPEAN AND SOV
AND SO BLOC NATIONALS
HONG KONG TELNO 1837
-
TO HONG KONG
ESK
CER
RY
20
NDEX
A
1.
You asked for comments on TUR.
2.
But
I am glad that the Hong Kong Government is finally taking a more moderate view on contacts with Eastern Europe. I have only one substantive comment on the division of Eastern European countries between the two categories in paras 2 and 3. Romania is making steady if at times erratic progress towards democracy and presents less of an intelligence threat than Bulgaria. it is not in the same league as Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia and we do not want to give the Romanians that impression, so for political and presentational reasons I think that both Romania and Bulgaria should be put together in the first more restrictive category.
3. We have spoken to Budapest about Hong Kong telno 1691. The Embassy have talked to the Hungarian MFA as requested in para 7 of their telegram. The Hungarians have not yet given a firm response. A telegram reporting this is about to issue.
I understand that you will be looking at Yugoslavia separately.
4.
13 June 1990
cc Mr Peart, MVD
Mr Stagg, Soviet Dept
Rating
A W Lewis
Eastern European Department W 95
270 2370
DCJAAY
CONFIDENTIAL