CONFIDENTIAL
99
060370
MDLOAN 3292
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
ROUTINE TOKYO
ΤΟ
TELNO 893
OF 121525Z DECEMBER 88
HKC031/27
RE
13 DEC
AND TO ROUTINE MANILA, SEOUL, JAKA
JAKAR
COF
BANGKOK, KUALA LUMPUR
AND TO ROUTINE SINGAPORE, BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, NEW DELHI, THE HAGUE AND TO ROUTINE BRUSSELS, ATHENS, BONN, MADRID, LISBON, PARIS, ROME AND TO ROUTINE LUXEMBOURG, COPENHAGEN, DUBLIN, BERNE
INFO ROUTINE UKMIS NEW YORK, HONG KONG, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: ELEVENTH MEETING OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP
1. THE ELEVENTH MEETING OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT LIAISON GROUP (JLG) WAS HELD IN HONG KONG FROM 6 TO 9 DECEMBER. THE TEXT OF THE JOINT COMMUNIQUE IS IN MIFT (NOT TO HONG KONG, PEKING OR UKREP JLG). YOU MAY DRAW ON ALL OF THE FOLLOWING IN BRIEFING OFFICIAL CONTACTS. SEE ALSO OUR TELNO 674 OF 27 SEPTEMBER. 2. THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE MEETING WAS AGAIN GOOD. GIVEN THE RELATIVELY SHORT INTERVAL SINCE THE LAST PLENARY JLG, THIS WAS A MEETING FOR CONSOLIDATION RATHER THAN SIGNIFICANT NEW AGREEMENTS. THERE WERE NO (NO) NEW ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
3. SINCE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BRITISH AND CHINESE JLG OFFICES IN HONG KONG ON 1 JULY, THERE HAVE BEEN REGULAR WORKING CONTACTS BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES. AT PRESENT OUR SENIOR REPRESENTATIVE (MCLAREN, AUS (ASIA)) REMAINS LONDON-BASED. BUT HE EXPECTS TO VISIT HONG KONG AT LEAST ONCE BETWEEN EACH PLENARY SESSION TO MEET HIS CHINESE OPPOSITE NUMBER AND DID SO IN EARLY NOVEMBER. MCLAREN WILL NEXT GO TO HONG KONG IN JANUARY WHEN HE ACCOMPANIES LORD GLENARTHUR ON AN OFFICIAL VISIT. HE WILL MEET THE CHINESE SENIOR REPRESENTATIVE IN THE MARGINS OF THAT VISIT.
4. DEFENCE AND PUBLIC ORDER WAS THE MOST SUBSTANTIAL ITEM ON THE AGENDA, FOLLOWING EXPERT TALKS HELD IN NOVEMBER. NOW THAT AGREEMENT HAS BEEN REACHED ON THE MAIN ISSUES OF PRINCIPLE, DISCUSSIONS HAVE BEGUN TO FOCUS ON THE QUESTION OF SITES NOW OCCUPIED BY THE BRITISH GARRISON AND THE FACILITIES WHICH THE FUTURE CHINESE GARRISON WILL REQUIRE. THIS IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX SUBJECT WILL CLEARLY FEATURE ON THE JLG'S AGENDA FOR SOME TIME. FURTHER EXPERT TALKS ARE EXPECTED BEFORE THE NEXT PLENARY MEETING.
5. ON THE SURRENDER OF FUGITIVE OFFENDERS (IE EXTRADITION), FORMAL AGREEMENT WAS GIVEN TO THE MATTERS AGREED UPON IN PRINCIPLE AT JLG X. THIS PROVIDES THE BASIS FOR HONG KONG TO
PAGE
1
CONFIDENTIAL