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Canada jik
HK/ Can
10
157317
MDLIAN 4527
RESTRICTED
FM OTTAWA
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 334
OF 281646Z MAY 90
AND TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON, TORONTO
WASHINGTON FOR HKETO
HKB 020/12
CUSTRY
1 JAN 1990
!
OFFICIAL VISIT OF GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG TO CANADA: 22-25 MAY
SUMMARY
1.
THE CANADIANS PULLED OUT ALL STOPS TO MAKE THIS A SUCCESSFUL VISIT. USEFUL DISCUSSIONS ON POLICY (THOUGH NO MAJOR BREAKTHROUGHS). WIDE ACCESS TO FEDERAL MINISTERS IN OTTAWA AND PROVINCIAL ONES IN TORONTO AND GOOD OPPORTUNITIES TO PUT ACROSS HONG KONG'S VIEWS
PUBLICLY IN BOTH CITIES.
DETAIL
2.
SIR DAVID WILSON PAID AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO OTTAWA ON 22 AND 23
AND TO TORONTO ON 24 AND 25 MAY. DESPITE THE POLITICAL TURMOIL CAUSED BY THE RESIGNATION ON THE EVENING OF 21 MAY BY A SENIOR CABINET MINISTER THE PROGRAMME WENT AHEAD AS PLANNED AND THE GOVERNOR SAW A WIDE RANGE OF CABINET MEMBERS FROM THE PRIME MINISTER DOWNWARDS. MR CLARK (SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS) GAVE A DINNER IN HIS HONOUR AS WELL AS A 30 MINUTE BILATERAL. MR CROSBIE (MINISTER FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE) OFFERED A LUNCH WHICH WAS ATTENDED BY TWO OTHER MINISTERS AS WELL AS A CLUTCH OF SENIOR BUSINESSMEN INTERESTED IN TRADE WITH HONG KONG. THE GOVERNOR'S INTERLOCUTORS SHOWED THEMSELVES FULLY AWARE OF HONG KONG'S IMPORTANCE TO CANADA AND CONCERNED ABOUT THE TERRITORY'S FUTURE (AS THE GOVERNOR NOTED THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT HAVE TAKEN THE TROUBLE TO REVIEW THEIR POLICY IN CABINET). THEY ARE INTERESTED TO ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DISTINCT IDENTITY FOR HONG KONG AND DISPOSED TO BE HELPFUL WHERE THEY CAN IN CONTRIBUTING TO THE MANAGEMENT OF HONG KONG'S PROBLEMS.
3. AT THE WORKING LUNCH GIVEN BY DE MONTIGNY MARCHAND (PUS EQUIVALENT) AND THE BILATERAL WITH JOE CLARK THE CANADIANS MADE CLEAR THEIR INTEREST IN FOLLOWING UP THEIR EARLIER INITIATIVES TO ESTABLISH A RANGE OF FORMAL LINKS WITH HONG KONG IN AREAS OF MUTUAL INTEREST. THESE INCLUDED SUCH MATTERS AS THE MUTUAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE TREATY (TEXTS HAVE BEEN INITIALLED) SEMICOLON THE GOVERNOR SAID HIS AIM WAS TO DEVELOP MEASURES WHICH COULD SURVIVE 1997 SEMICOLON AN
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