FAYADL
Mr Furness
SPD
HKB020/2
9D C
From:
CO Hum
FILE
13
Hong Kong Department
Date:
16 December 1988
CC:
Mr McLaren
Mr Cooper, FED
Mr Colvin, SEAD
PACIFIC RIM HEADS OF MISSION CONFERENCE
1.
Thank you for sending me a copy of your minute of
15 December.
2.
From the narrowest departmental point of view I cannot offer strong arguments for a conference of Heads of Mission from the Pacific Rim. Our departmental interests are highly localised (not to say parochial), But from every other point of view I think your idea is well worth pursuing.
It is a truism that the next century
will be the age of the Pacific Rim: we have every interest in taking an over-view of the area and of our policy towards it. Hong Kong has the potential to be a key player, although alas no longer under British sovereignty.
3.
We could not of course offer a Head of Mission who would take part, although I have no doubt that the Political Adviser in Hong Kong would wish to attend and to make a major contribution. I think it would be important to have representation from the Western seaboard of North America (San Francisco and perhaps also Vancouver).
ствии
CO Hum