Ciphered Telegram No. 41, Embassy of Hungary in Pakistan to the Hungarian Foreign Ministry

Concerning the successful Pakistani missile test and the [Pakistani] nuclear program [emphasis in the original], the Indian naval attaché said the following:

According to the information available for them, Swedish and Italian companies were involved in the development of that missile, whose range is approx. 300 kilometers, and [the possibility of] Chinese [involvement] cannot be excluded, either. For the time being, they regard it as a prestige program. Benazir Bhutto was only subsequently informed about the test.

They are convinced that Benazir has not been appropriately informed yet about the real situation of the Pakistani nuclear program, and thus her statements on its peaceful nature cannot be considered accurate. They are aware of the visit that the head of the Pakistani program paid to China in November 1988, in whose light it appears likely that there is intense cooperation [between Pakistan and China]. Nevertheless, they have doubts about the news according to which the Pakistani nuclear weapon might be tested at the Lop Nor site. In their opinion, China is aware of that a Pakistani nuclear test would trigger an immediate Indian reaction, and nowadays China is not interested in launching a nuclear arms race in South Asia.

Another issue:

Hereby I note that [the Pakistanis] contacted Tibor Déri, the trade director of Idex [Enterprise] who was here as a member of a Chamber of Commerce delegation headed by Comrade Lorincze, and expressed their interest in beryllium-enrichment [sic] technology. Taking into consideration the intensifying American pressure related to the Pakistani nuclear program, I consider this request a very delicate issue, and propose to proceed with circumspection. Comrade Déri will report [on the issue] in an appropriate form.

– 41 – D. –