R
Ра..Р.А.
CONFIDENTIAL
FM UKMIS NEW YORK
ΤΟ TELELETTER FCO
TELELETTER HO21/1
OF 07204OZ AUGUST 89
CONFIDENTIALE NOTE
KD COPY TO UND
COPE T
INFO TELELETTER HONG KONG, PEKING, WA INFO TELELETTER TOKYO, UKREP BRUS
RUSSELS
(13)
007735
MDTTAN 1445
ObED
ASED TO
GTON, OTTAWA, CANBERRA
FROM: S G ELDON, UKMIS NEW YORK
FOLLOWING FOR: AR PAUL ESQ, HONG KONG DEPT, FCO
COPIED TO: N A THORNE ESQ, UND, FCO
POLITICAL ADVISER, HONG KONG
Sue (10
CHANCERIES: PEKING, WASHINGTON, OTTAWA, CANBERRA, TOKYO,
UKREP BRUSSELS
HONG KONG: CONFIDENCE-BOOSTING MEASURES:
·
༣ན༠པ་
INTERNATIONAL ASPECTS
1 WASHINGTON KINDLY COPIED TO US THE SERIES OF TELEGRAMS BEGINNING WITH HONG KONG TELNO 2491′ ABOUT WAYS OF BOOSTING CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG'S FUTURE BY EMPHASISING ITS INTERNATIONAL ROLE.
2.
WE CAN SEE THE ATTRACTION OF ATTEMPTING TO PERSUADE
INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS TO ESTABLISH HEADQUARTERS OR REGIONAL OFFICES IN HONG KONG (PARA 3 OF HONG KONG TUR). BUT UNFORTUNATELY
THERE ARE FEW OBVIOUS CANDIDATES WITHIN THE UN SYSTEM AND WE HAVE TRADITIONALLY OPPOSED THE PROLIFERATION OF REPRESENTATIVE OR
OUTSTATION UN OFFICES ON BUDGETARY GROUNDS.
3.
FOR SIMILAR REASONS WE HAVE TENDED TO DISCOURAGE THE HOLDING OF MEETINGS AWAY FROM THE RELEVANT UN HEADQUARTERS IN NEW YORK, GENEVA, NAIROBI OR BANGKOK. BUT THERE WOULD BE NO OBJECTION IN PRINCIPLE TO
HONG KONG OFFERING TO HOST A UN CONFERENCE PROVIDED IT WAS PREPARED
TO MEET THE EXTRA COSTS INVOLVED. THERE COULD NEVERTHELESS BE
POLITICAL DIFFICULTIES IF THE CHINESE DECIDED TO STIR UP OPPOSITION:
IT IS ALSO WORTH BEARING IN MIND THAT THERE IS OFTEN STRONG COMPETITION TO HOST UN CONFERENCES FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, WHO ARE ANXIOUS TO PUT THEMSELVES ON THE INTERNATIONAL MAP. WE MIGHT
THEREFORE DO BETTER TO CONSIDER TARGETTING THE GATT (WHICH IS
OUTSIDE THE UN SYSTEM AND A BODY WITH A LONG-STANDING HONG KONG PRESENCE) OR ONE OF THE SPECIALISED AGENCIES, AT LEAST IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, UKMIS GENEVA WOULD BE BEST PLACED TO ADVISE ON HOW PRACTICAL THIS WOULD BE.