CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 020 122
ва
116112 MDHOAN 2004
TOPC
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 2208
OF 21140OOZ NOVEMBER 90
ко
AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM PAUL, HKD
HONG KONG AND THE COMMONWEALTH
1 LORD CAITHNESS WILL BE SPEAKING IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS NEXT WEEK IN A DEBATE ON THE FUTURE OF THE COMMONWEALTH. WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO CONTRIBUTE A SHORT DEFENSIVE MODULE ON HONG KONG AND THE COMMONWEALTH JUST IN CASE THIS COMES UP DURING THE
DEBATE.
2. WE ASSUME THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY BE BEST TO SAY AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE ON THIS SUBJECT, GIVEN CHINESE SENSITIVITIES. BUT WE WOULD WELCOME YOUR VIEWS ON THE BEST LINE TO TAKE.
3.
FOR OUR OWN INFORMATION, IT WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL TO KNOW HOW YOUR THINKING NOW STANDS ON HONG KONG'S COMMONWEALTH LINKS BOTH UP TO AND AFTER 1997. IN YOUR TELNO 2393 OF 31 JULY, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU WOULD SHORTLY BE PROPOSING TO EXCO THAT YOU SHOULD IN PRINCIPLE BEGIN TO WITHDRAW GRADUALLY FROM ORGANISATIONS AND MEETINGS RELATED SPECIFICALLY TO THE COMMONWEALTH. HAS THIS DISCUSSION TAKEN PLACE? WHILE HONG KONG'S FORMAL ASSOCIATION WITH THE COMMONWEALTH THROUGH UK MEMBERSHIP MUST LAPSE IN 1997, WE WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW WHETHER ANY THOUGHT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE POSSIBILITY OF MAINTAINING INFORMAL LINKS WITH ANY COMMONWEALTH BODIES AFTER
1997.
4. GRATEFUL YOUR VIEWS BY 23090OZ.
HURD
YYYY
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