onit
(see next
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 23130OZ FCO
TELNO 3480
OF 231155Z NOVEMBER 90
CONFIDENTIAL
noted
•B/48/1191
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INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
(33
PERSONAL FOR PAUL, HKD FROM GOVERNOR
YRTELNO 2208: HONG KONG AND THE COMMONWEALTH
41
124037
MDHIAN 0883
HKB 020/22
18
1990
1. I AGREE WITH YOU THAT IT WOULD BE BEST TO SAY AS LITTLE "AS POSSIBLE AT THIS STAGE. APART FROM CHINESE SENSITIVITIES, WE HAVE YET TO CONSULT EXCO.
2. I SUGGEST THEREFORE THAT IF THE SUBJECT IS RAISED, LORD CAITHNESS SHOULD TAKE THE LINE THAT IT IS INEVITABLE THAT, BECAUSE OF THE CHANGE OF SOVEREIGNTY IN 1997, HONG KONG'S FORMAL ASSOCIATION WITH THE COMMONWEALTH MUST LAPSE BY THEN. IF NECESSARY, THE MINISTER COULD INDICATE THAT CAREFUL CONSIDERATION WILL BE GIVEN TO THE POSSIBILITY OF CONTINUING EXISTING LINKS ON AN INFORMAL BASIS WHERE THERE ARE PRACTICAL LINKS WHICH WOULD CONTINUE TO BE RELEVANT, E.G. COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITIES, WE WOULD
(e) BE LOOKING TO SEE WHETHER THERE ARE WAYS IN WHICH THE PRACTICAL
3489
x
BENEFITS FOR HONG KONG COULD CONTINUE WITHOUT THE FORMAL COMMONWEALTH LINK.
3. OUR INTENTION IS TO SEEK EXCO'S VIEWS ON THE VARIOUS RELATED ISSUES IN JANUARY. WE SHALL LET YOU SEE THE MEMORANDUM IN DRAFT FOR COMMENT BEFORE PROPOSALS ARE PUT FORMALLY TO EXCO.
WILSON
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