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WOULD PERMIT PRIVILEGES FOR HKONG OFFICE IN CDA.
2.REPORT:HKONG CHIEF SECTY SIR DAVID FORD PAID TWO DAY VISIT TO
VNCVR AND VICTORIA NOV 15-16, HIS FIRST TO CDA.JUDGEMENT IN ALL
QUARTERS WAS THAT VISIT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.PRINCIPAL EVENTS WERE
(A) ADDRESS TO LUNCHEON JOINTLY SPONSORED BY HKONG-CDA BUSINESS
ASSOC AND BOARD OF TRADE WHICH ATTRACTED GOOD ATTENDANCE (300);
(B) CALL ON BC LT GOV DAVID LAM; (C) PRIVATE BREAKFAST FOR
ACADEMICS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS HOSTED BY ROSS BELSHER, PARL
SECTY TO FEDERAL MINISTER OF TRANSPORT; (D) PRIVATE DINNER
OFFERED BY BC MIN OF INTL BUSINESS AND IMMIG (ELWOOD VEITCH); (E)
HKONG BANK OF CDA RECEPTION; AND (F) SELECTED MEDIA
INTERVIEWS/EDITORIAL BOARDS.ASSOC WIN OF NATL DEFENCE (WARY
COLLINS) WAS AT HEAD TABLE FOR LUNCH (BUT HAD TO LEAVE IMMEDLY
AFTERWARD FOR CABINET MTG IN WPG).
3.QUOTE CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM UNQUOTE WAS CONSISTENT MSG WHICH SIR
DAVID DELIVERED TO ALL AUDIENCES DURING VISIT. DRAWING ON THEMES
REPORTED IN YOUR TEL XBGR0772 NOV13, HE EMPHASIZED RESILIENCY OF
HKONG AND ITS PEOPLE AND PRCS ACCEPTANCE OF HKONGS ROLE. HE
ENSURED THAT ALL WERE REMINDED OF EXTENT TO WHICH JOINT
DECLARATION AND BASIC LAW ENSURE HONGS FUTURE STATUS. SIR DAVID
SPOKE WITH DEGREE OF CANDOR WHICH ADDED TO HIS PRESENTATIONS.
4.AT PRIVATE BREAKFAST ORGANIZED BY EAITC, SIR DAVID DESCRIBED
RIGIDITY WHICH HAS BEEN EVIDENT IN DEALINGS HKONG AUTHORITIES
HAVE HAD WITH PRC OFFICIALS SINCE JUN29. THERE HAS ALSO BEEN
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