CONFIDENTIAL

5

ранк Кап

HK) Canada

075665 MDHOAN 2258

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

HKB

020/12

RECEIVED IN

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 280

27 FEB 1990

OF 01173OZ FEBRUARY 90

INFO PRIORITY OTTAWA, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

HONG KONG/CANADA

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+

THE DIRECTOR OF THE NORTH ASIA RELATIONS DIVISION IN THE CANADIAN DEA, HOWARD BALLOCH, CALLED ON THE HEAD OF THE HONG KONG DEPARTMENT TODAY. BALLOCH IS ACCOMPANYING THE

ASSISTANT DEPUTY MINISTER IN CHARGE OF ASIA AND THE PACIFIC, JEAN MCCLUSKIE, ON A VISIT TO LONDON, HONG KONG AND PEKING.

2.

BALLOCK SAID THAT CANADA WAS KEEN TO THICKEN UP ITS RELATIONS WITH HONG KONG AND SAW VALUE IN DOING SO IN TERMS OF BOOSTING LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL CONFIDENCE. HE MENTIONED FOUR AREAS IN WHICH CANADA MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP:

3.

A) PERMITTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A HONG KONG OFFICE IN TORONTO WITH NORMAL CONSULAR PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES:

B)

NEGOTIATING BILATERAL AGREEMENT WITH HONG KONG IN SUCH FIELDS AS DOUBLE TAXATION, MUTUAL LEGAL SYSTEMS ETC:

C) PROMOTING HONG KONG PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS (THEY ARE KEEN TO HELP OVER APC FOR EXAMPLE):

D)

ESTABLISHING A PROGRAMME OF OFFICIAL EXCHANGES AT SECONDMENTS IN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED WITH AREAS IN WHICH CANADA AND HONG KONG HAVE MUTUAL INTERESTS (EG TRADE, SHIPPING ETC).

BALLOCH SAID THAT MRS MCCLUSKIE WOULD BE DISCUSSING THESE IDEAS IN DETAIL IN THE COURSE OF HER VISIT TO HONG KONG AND THAT SHE WOULD BE MENTIONING THEM IN MORE GENERAL TERMS IN THE COURSE

OF THE VISIT TO PEKING.

4. PAUL WELCOMED THESE IDEAS. HE OUTLINED THE WORK THAT HAD BEEN TAKING PLACE IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP ABOUT INTER ALIA HONG KONG'S PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS. HE SUGGESTED THAT THE PROPOSALS WOULD NEED TO BE CAREFULLY PRESENTED TO THE

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