TO
IMMEDIATE PEKING
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TELNO 235
OF 161644Z MARCH 88
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
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CONFIDENTIAL
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HKC 1
IS TAR
ZAR 988
YOUR TELNO 494 AND HONG KONG TELNO 1105: MIGA
1.
170745
MDHOAN 2110
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
MODEV 003 WHICH WE HAVE NOW SEEN, WAS DESPATCHED WITHOUT CONSULTATION WITH HKD. IT REFLECTS THE VIEW OF THE ODA, IN RESPECT OF DEPENDENT TERRITORIES GENERALLY. THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER TO INCLUDE FROM THE OUTSET THOSE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES
WHICH ARE LIKELY TO WISH TO BE INCLUDED AND THOSE WHOSE INCLUSION
IS LIKELY TO BE CONTROVERSIAL IF IT HAPPENS LATER UNDER THE ICSID FORMULA. WE AGREE HOWEVER THAT THE COURSE OF ACTION IN RESPECT
OF HONG KONG PROPOSED IN MODEV 003 OVERLOOKS THE
CONSIDERATIONS SET OUT IN HONG KONG TUR AND IS LIKELY TO ANTAGONISE
THE CHINESE UNNECESSARILY. PLEASE THEREFORE DISREGARD MODEV 003.
2.
WE VERY MUCH HOPE THE CHINESE WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE US THEIR
RESPONSE WITHIN THE 40 DAYS. PLEASE THEREFORE SPEAK TO THE CHINESE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AS YOU PROPOSE IN THE SECOND SENTENCE
OF PARA 2 OF YOUR TUR. YOU COULD ALSO EXPLAIN THAT THE UK MUST RATIFY THE MIGA CONVENTION BY EARLY APRIL (PROBABLY ON 12 APRIL)
IN ADVANCE OF THE INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE MIGA COUNCIL OF
GOVERNORS SCHEDULED FOR 16 APRIL, TO ENABLE THE UK TO PARTICIPATE.
3.
IF IT BECOMES CLEAR THAT THE CHINESE ARE NOT GOING TO BE
ABLE TO GIVE US THEIR RESPONSE WITHIN THE 40 DAYS OR EVEN THE TIMESCALE FOR RATIFICATION, WE WOULD NEED TO REFLECT FURTHER IN CONSULTATION WITH ODA. WE WOULD THEN SEND YOU FURTHER
INSTRUCTIONS
HOWE
ON WHAT TO SAY TO THE CHINESE.
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