A FORMER Hong Kong governor, Lord Wilson of Tillyorn, was invited to Austria earlier this year to give a public lecture on the future of the territory and business prospects in the Asia-Pacific.

He was a guest of the Sohmen-Far East-Foundation in conjunction with the Economic Forum of the Raiffeisenlandesbank in upper Austria.

According to Helmut Sohmen of World Wide Shipping, chairman of the Hong Kong Austrian Association: 'He described the future prospects of Hong Kong as very bright despite current difficulties.

'I was able to supplement Lord Wilson's remarks with a few comments of my own to an audience of about 180 guests.' General interest in the Far East was further illustrated by a popularity contest organised by an Austrian newspaper - in which Mr Sohmen came fourth.