3. THERE HAS BEEN A PARTICULAR PROBLEM OVER THE LAST ROUND OF THE TALKS ON 19/20 OCTOBER. IT IS PLANN TO ALL THAT SOMETHING MUST HAVE
HAPPENED TO PRODUCE THE WARMER COMMUNIQUE WHICH WAS ISSUED AT THE
CONCLUSION OF THAT ROUND AND THE TURNING OFF OF THE CHINESE
PROPAGANDA TAP WHICH ACCOMPANHED WT. IT IS ALSO PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE
THAT THE GOVERNOR, THE AMBASSADOR AND THE UNOFFICIALS HAD DICUSSIONS WITH MINISTERS ON 6/7 OCTOBER AND THE EXISTENCE OF A
PRIME MMNISTERIAL LETTER OR MESSAGE HAS BEEN WIDELY CANVASSED W
THE PRESS. THE LINE WE HAVE BEEN TAK-ING WITH PEOPLE LIKE THE
AMERICANS AND AUSTRALIANS (AND THE GOVERNOR OF MACAU) (MS THAT WE
HAVE BEEN SEEKING A WAY ROUND THE OBSTACLE CONSTITUTED BY CHINESE
*INSISTENCE ON THE RECOVERY OF BOTH SOVEREIGNTY AND ADMINISTRATION
SO THAT WE CAN GET DOWN TO DETAILED DISCUSSION OF PRACTICAL
ARRANGEMENTS AFTER 1997: AND THAT WE NOW THINK WE HAVE FOUND SUCH
A WAY. THE LINE TAKEN BY DICK CLIFT WITH BENSON OF THE AUSTRALIAN
HIGH COMMISSION ON 26 OCTOBER (PARA 5 OF FCO TELNO 365 TO CANBERRA )
*S MUCH MORE FORTHCOMING. # ASSUME WE HAVE AUTHORITY TO USE IT ON
THE USUAL STRICTLY PERSONAL BASIS.
ABD
4. WE ALSO AGREE THAT THE TIME HAS COME TO TAKE THE JAPANESE MORE
HNTO OUR COFIDENCE. THEIR COMMERICAL AND OTHER INTERESTS HERE ARE
CONSIDERABLY GREATER THAN THOSE OF THE AUSTRALIIANS, CANADIANS
AND NEW ZEALANDERS AND THE JAPANESE COMMUNITY MS THE LARGEST OF
THE FOREIGN COMMUNITIES HN HONG KONG AFTER THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
IT IS THEREFORE IN THE JAPANESE INTEREST THAT THE STATUS QUO SHOULD
CONTINUE. THE CHINESE CLEARLY RECOGNISE THIS AND THERE IS AMPLE
EVIDENCE THAT THEY TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO ASSURE THE JAPANESE
THAT EVERYTHING WILL REMAIN THE SAME AFTER THEY HAVE RECOVERED
SOVEREIGNTY AND IMPLEMENTED THEMR PLAN, BY CONTRAST WE TELL THE
JAPANESE VERY LITTLE ABOUT OUR POSITION (# DO NOT KNOW WHAT
LINE HUGH CORTAZZ WAS AUTHORISED TO TAKE IN HIS CONSULTATENS WITH THE JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER HIN SEPTEMBER TOKYO TELNO (488)
REFERS) AND AS FAR AS # KNOW WE HAVE NOT RESPONDED POSITIVELY TO
THE OCCASIONAL JAPANESE EXPRESSIONS OF WILLINGNESS TO HELP. PERCY
CRADOCK MENTIONED THE NEW JAPANESE CONSUL GENERAL HERE IN
HIS TELELETTER. HE MS CLEARLY A FIRST CLASS MAN AND IT WOULD BE
HELPFUL TO BE AUTHORISED TO GIVE HIM AT LEAST THE SAME LEVEL OF
BRIEF BNG AS WE ARE NOW GIVING THE CANADIANS AND NEW ZEALANDERS.
5. ON A MORE GENERAL POINT, THE PROBLEM OF BRIEF ING REPRESENTATIVES
OF FRIENDLY COUNTRIES IS PROBABLY MORE ACUTE HERE THAN
ANYWHERE ELSE. THE AMERICAN, QUOTE OLD COMMONWEALTH UNQUOTE, AND
JAPANESE REPRESENTATIVES AND THOSE OF THE MAJOR COMMUNITY COUNTRIES
ARE ALL SENIOR PEOPLE. THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES LIE EXCLUSIVELY IN
HONG KONG, THEY STUDY THE PRESS CLOSELY, THEY HAVE GOOD CONTACTS
WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND THEY KEEP IN TOUCH WITH NONA AND
OTHER CHINESE OFFICIALS BASED HERE. SO THEY ARE VERY WELL INFORMED
ABOUT THE ISSUES INVOLVED AND KNOW EXACTLY WHAT QUESTIONS TO ASK.
SHGNED: R J T MCLAREN
J
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