CONFIDENTIAL
023235
MDLIAN 3192
AGAIN IN THE CANADIAN COURT: YOU HAD RAISED THE MATTER WITH CLARK, WHO HAD SAID THAT HE WOULD LOOK INTO IT AND WE HAD (OFFICIALLY) HEARD NOTHING SINCE. THE PCO UNDERTOOK TO DO WHAT THEY COULD BY WAY OF DAMAGE LIMITATION. PERRON (ACTING ASSISTANT DEPUTY MINISTER, ASIA AND PACIFIC BRANCH, DEA) SAID THAT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS HAD BEEN SWAMPED BY ENQUIRIES FROM CANADIAN JOURNALISTS. THE DEA SPOKESMAN HAD SIMPLY REITERATED CURRENT CANADIAN FOREIGN POLICY AS DESCRIBED RECENTLY BY MR CLARK TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE, MAKING THE POINT THAT GRANTING HONG KONG CITIZENS THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN CANADA IN THE WAY ENVISAGED WAS SIMPLY NOT POSSIBLE UNDER EXISTING CANADIAN LEGISLATION. THE PRESS HAD BEEN SELECTIVE IN THEIR REPORTING. ANOTHER
OFFICIAL TOLD US THAT THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT
HAD HAD HIS KNUCKLES RAPPED FOR STEPPING OUT OF LINE.
5. IN SHORT, THE ARTICLES IN THE LONDON PRESS HAVE PROMPTED A REACTION WHICH CAN ONLY MAKE LIFE HARDER FOR US. BUT THE PROSPECTS, AT LEAST IN THE SHORT TERM, WERE NOT VERY GOOD ANYWAY: CLARK'S VERY CAUTIOUS REACTION WHEN YOU SPOKE TO HIM WAS A BETTER REFLECTION OF THE UNDERLYING POSITION HERE THAN MULRONEY'S.
FALL
YYYY
MAIN
74
DISTRIBUTION
84
.HK AGREEMENT
LIMITED
HKD
HD/FED
HD/PLANNERS
HD/CONSULAR D
NEWS D
NAD
PUSD
PS
PS/MR MAUDE
PS/LORD BRABAZON
PS/PUS
MR P J WESTON
MR GILLMORE
SIR A WATTS
MR MCLAREN
MR MOSS
MR BLATHERWICK
ADDITIONAL
HK AGREEMENT
10
~~~~
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2
CONFIDENTIAL