CODE 18-77
AWO Ltd. 7/84
Reference...
CONFIDENTIAL
The lawyers
technical matter. In this context it is helpful that the approach would be made through a firm of lawyers; it is also helpful that the Counsel to be set out will not have any direct contact with the Taiwanese authorities. should also be briefed, if possible, to say that they are acting on behalf of the Hong Kong prosecuting authorities rather than on behalf of the Hong Kong Government. This may help to down-grade the contact and give it a rather technical overtone. I also agree that expressions denoting recognition, such as "Republic of China" must definitely be avoided.
6.
I see advantage in approaching the Chinese to inform them of how we intend to act, as suggested. No doubt we will wish to have a line to take with them which could also be used in public, should questions be asked (if for example, the Taiwanese authorities attempted to make political capital of the approach). No doubt this would be along the lines that this was e sentially a technical matter and dependent upon the need to obtain specific evidence on the facts of a particular case; and that it is in no way affects our position as regards Taiwan.
7. Please accept my apologies that this minute has to be sent up in draft.
20 October 1987
John Grainger
Legal Advisers
SB6ABH
CONFIDENTIAL