Eastern European and Soviet Department: Heads of Mission Conference on East-West Relations, October 1979: Papers

A file containing supporting documents for a meeting of British ambassadors to Eastern European countries, held in London in October 1979. Documents in the file include a table summarising British trade with Eastern Europe; a comparison of the level and frequency of official visits between Eastern Europe and several Western countries; and a report by the British ambassador in Budapest, Richard Parsons, on the similarities and differences between the nations of Eastern Europe. The file also includes a report on Soviet government, politics, and foreign policy; a comparison of NATO and Warsaw Pact military strength in Europe; a report entitled "Managing Russia", suggesting a high level of continuity between the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union in attitudes to the outside world; and a list of questions on the future of East-West political relations.