HOFO 023/22
TELELETTER TO FCO
TELELETTER TO PEKING
GR 200
CONFIDENTIAL
(34)
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0531/22
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TELELETTER
FROM : R.P. MARGOLIS, DEPUTY POLITICAL ADVISER, HONG KONG
REF : TC 146/82
DATED 22 DECEMBER 1982
FOR : T.W.M. SMITH, ESQ., HKGD, FCO
COPIED TO : ESSD, FCO
FED,
FCOTM
R.N. PEIRCE, DSQ., HM EMBASSY, PEKING
APPU AND HONG KONG
(33.
PLEASE REFER TO BOB PEIRCE'S TELELETTER OF 8 DECEMBER. SUPPORT
BOB PEIRCE'S REMARKS. I DO NOT THING THAT IT WOULD BE WISE TO
APPROACH THE CHINESE FORMALLY ON THIS SUBJECT. THIS IS ONE OF
THOSE AREAS WHERE THE CHINESE DO NOT OBJECT PROVIDED WE TAKE
CARE TO AVOID OFFENDING THEIR SENSIBILITIES, WHICH AS BOB
PEIRCE RIGHTLY POINTS OUT ARE MOSTLY PROCEDURAL. THE TWO PITFALLS
TO BE AVOIDED ARE AS FOLLOWS:
(A) ACCIDENTAL DESCRIPTION OF HONG KONG AS A COUNTRY IN ITS OWN
RIGHT: AND
(B) HEAVY-HANDED REFERENCES TO HONG KONG'S COLONIAL STATUS.
THERE ARE MANY INTERNATIONAL GATHERINGS IN WHICH HONG KONG
PARTICIPATES AND IN WHICH THESE PITFALLS ARE SUCESSFULLY AVOIDED.
BUT ASKING THE CHINESE FORMALLY TO ENDORSE THESE INFORMAL
PROCEDURES WOULD BE ANOTHER MATTER, AND WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY GENERATE
UNNECESSARY DIFFICULTIES. FOR THESE REASONS, I AM NOT SURE THAT
AN APPROACH TO NCNA, HOWEVER INFORMAL, WOULD BE USEFUL. THEY
WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY HAVE TO REFER THE MATTER TO PEKING.
2. I AM THEREFORE MUCH IN FAVOUR OF ACTION ALONG THE LINES
SUGGESTED IN PARA 4 OF BOB PEIRCE'S TELELETTER. COULD WE NOT
TAKE THE LINE THAT WE ARE BETTER PLACED THAN OTHER MEMBERS OF
APPU TO ASSESS CHINESE ATTITUDES, SINCE WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH
THEM EVERY DAY?
SIGNED R.P. MARGOLIS
NNNN
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