TNAG-2021-FCO40-2883-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Hungary-1990 — Page 4

Background

REFERENCES

A

B

CONFIDENTIAL

C

D

DE

Governor's telno 660

Budapest telno 145 reporting the Secretary

of State's meeting with the Hungarian

Foreign Minister

Record of call by Mr Kovacs on Mr Tait,

28 March

Hong Kong telno 244

Hungarian Embassy Note 40/1990 of 10 April

F Hong Kong telno 2055

G FCO telno 1316

Since November 1989 the Hungarians have made a number of

approaches in London, Budapest and Peking about the

1.

possibility of a relaxation of the Hong Kong Government's

restrictions on travel to Hong Kong by Hungarian businessmen

and of setting up a Trade Office (without diplomatic

privileges) in Hong kong in the not too distant future. The

Hungarians want to increase their commercial representation

in the Pacific area and are opening mini-missions in

Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Seoul. They consider that Hong

Kong is also central to this strategy of integrating "the

new Hungary" more effectively in the world economy.

2. The Hungarian Foreign Minister raised the question of

the Hungarian Trade Office with the Secretary of State when

he visited Budapest at the end of February. Mr Kovacs, State secretary at the Hungarian FMA, also raised it when he

called on Mr Tait on 28 March.

3. The Hong Kong Government have traditionally taken a very restrictive attitude to travel to Hong Kong by Soviet and East European nationals. This policy has been dictated largely by perceived Chinese sensitivities about a Soviet

and East European presence in Hong Kong which could be used

for intelligence activities directed against China. The

BUSAIB/1

CONFIDENTIAL