TNAG-0804-FCO40-1009-Applications-for-visas-from-citizens-of-Eastern-European-cou-1978 — Page 4

CONFIDENTIAL

BRITISH EMBASSY

BUDAPEST

R JT McLaren Esq

Hong Kong & General Department

FCO

9 November 1978

HKCK 345/2

1978

PACKIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51x K

17 NOV 1978

DESK OFFICE

INDEX

REGO AY

Action Ten

fir

12465

Dear Robin?

No

NN 23+ & E

दह

B

RELATIONS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND HUNGARY

Many thanks for your letter of 3 November. This is quite clear and of course I do not dispute the overall policy. But in the circumstances it does not seem much sense for the Hong Kong Government to spend money, as they do, trying to promote commercial relations with Hungary and other countries of Eastern Europe. These are not areas where you can hope to sell without being willing to buy. Nor is it realistic to expect the visits to be all in one direction.

As I pointed out in my previous letter, the Hungarians do now sometimes visit Mainland China for commercial purposes. Some of these visits might reasonably and conveniently be routed via Hong Kong. If the eventual destination is Canton or Peking, would this make it easier for the visitor to obtain transit rights through Hong Kong? It would be helpful to know the answer to this.

Yours

ever

Richard Parsms

(R E Parsons)

CONFIDENTIAL

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