c.c. Mr Noble, EED
Mr Littlefield, PUSD
Refanden 11/1~
SENT
19/9
MM
CONFIDENTIAL
R.
NKB 020/13
FROM:
A R Paul
DATE
Hong Kong Department 19 April 1990
Miss Marsden
HUNGARIAN TRADE OFFICE IN HONG KONG
1.
I had a private word with Sir David Wilson last week about the Hungarian wish to establish a Trade Office in Hong Kong. I spoke to the brief which you had provided for Mr Maude, who as far as I am aware, did not have the opportunity to raise the matter himself
2.
The Governor said that as far as Hong Kong was concerned given the miniscule volume of trade with Hungary, there was no strong case to accede to the Hungarian request. He was not yet convinced that the security objections, which had previously influenced Hong Kong's attitude to the general question of Eastern European representation in Hong Kong, had yet been cleared up. His inclination, therefore, was to proceed cautiously.
3. The Governor conceded however that there might be overriding foreign policy reasons for adopting a new attitude to Hungary. If the FCO could make such a case, he would be happy to consider it. He agreed in any case that a new security assessment should be made in the light of the changes that had taken place in Hungary and elsewhere.
4. We left it that we would discuss the matter further with the Eastern European side of the Office. I would be grateful if you could now do so, particularly in the light of the latest representations by the Hungarian Embassy here.
ARPanc
A R Paul
CONFIDENTIAL
LOPABT
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