GRPS 340
PRIORITY
CONFIDENTIAL
CYPHER/CAT A
LAST
REF.
43
FM HONG KONG 180805Z
CONFIDENTIAL
P
RECK
REGISTR
19.-12. #KK 2/1
N
Luzsla
25/5
TO PRIORITY F C O TELNO 1060 OF 18TH SEPTEMBER, 1973. INFO PRIORITY
UKMIS NEW YORK.
UKMIS NEW YORK TELNO 887: HONG KONG AND THE U.N.
YOUR TELEGRAM DOES NOT SAY WHETHER OR NOT THE CHINESE HAVE THEM- SELVES SUGGESTED A CHANGE IN THE LISTING OF HONG KONG IN THE DOCUMENT REFERRED TO. IF THEY HAVE DONE SO INFORMALLY IT LOOKS AS IF THEY ARE SEEKING WAYS OF AVOIDING ANY PUBLIC CONFRONTATION OVER
HONG KONG WHILE STICKING TO THEIR PRINCIPLES.
2. IN ITSELF WE SEE NO VERY STRONG OBJECTION TO THE PROPOSED CHANGE, WHICH HAS THE MERIT OF LISTING HONG KONG IN AN UNCONTRO-
VERSIAL WAY. BUT BY SIMPLY AGREEING TO IT WE MIGHT APPEAR TO BE
LETTING THE CHINESE STEAL A MARCH ON US: AND ANYWAY THERE IS NEED
FOR CONSISTENCY. IN THE CASE OF THE UPU YOU DECIDED (FCO TELEGRAM NO 129 OF 23 NOVEMBER 1972 TO BERNE) TO DO NOTHING ABOUT THE
FORMAL CHINESE OBJECTION TO THE LISTING OF HONG KONG RECORDED IN
BERNE TELEGRAM NUMBER 271. THIS WAS ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE
WAS NO CHANGE IN THE ACTUAL DESCRIPTION OF HONG KONG AS A BRITISH
OVERSEAS TERRITORY.
TERRITORY. IF YOU AGREE TO A CHANGE IN THE NARCOTICS PAPER A PRECEDENT WILL HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR ALL COMPARABLE CONTEXTS
WHICH WILL PRESUMABLY ALSO GO FOR ALL DEPENDENT TERRITORIES,
INCLUDING NON-BRITISH ONES. IF THE CHANGE IS GOING TO BE
ASCRIBED TO A CHINESE OBJECTION ABOUT HONG KONG THEN IT MIGHT BE
BEST, IN AGREEING TO IT AND TO SIMILAR AMENDMENTS, TO HAVE A ONCE
FOR ALL EXCHANGE OF LETTERS OF WHICH OURS WOULD BE ON THE LINES OF
SIR COLIN CROWE'S LETTER TO THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF 14TH DECEMBER
1972. IF THERE IS A DANGER THAT BY CHANGING THE LISTINGS THE UNITED
KINGDOM'S RIGHT TO LOOK AFTER HONG KONG'S INTERESTS IN THE U N
MIGHT IN CERTAIN INSTANCES BE PREJUDICED, YOUR POSITION ON THIS WOULD
PRESUMABLY HAVE TO BE REAFFIRMED IN THE EXCHANGE OF LETTERS.
13. ALTERNATIVELY,
CONFIDENTIAL