CONFIDENTIAL
004412
MDLIAN 1763
CONFIDENTIAL
FM OTTAWA
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELNO 187
OF 26210OZ FEBRUARY 90
INFO PRIORITY FCO
HONG KONG PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR
FCO PERSONAL FOR MCLAREN, AUSS
14
YOUR TELNO 001: YOUR VISIT TO CANADA
AKB 026/11
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 27 FEB 1990
DESK OFFICER.
REGISTRY Acton Takar
INDEX
1 MANY THANKS FOR TUR, ON THE BASIS OF WHICH PETER NEWTON (DHC) HAD A USEFUL RUN AROUND THE COURSE AT SENIOR WORKING LEVEL IN THE DEA. THERE IS STILL A LITTLE TOOTH-SUCKING IN DEA ABOUT THE SPONSORSHIP OF YOUR SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT IN TORONTO, BUT MY GUESS IS THAT THAT WILL SORT ITSELF OUT WITHOUT TOO MUCH DIFFICULTY. SUBJECT TO THAT, THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE CANADIANS ARE VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR VISIT AND THAT THEY WILL DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO MAKE IT A SUCCESS ON THE NEW TIMETABLE.
2 =
AS FAR AS EARNSCLIFFE IS CONCERNED THERE WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFICULTY IN PUTTING UP YOU AND NATASHA AND YOUR PRIVATE SECRETARY (YOUR TELNO 002): ON THE CONTRARY, DELMAR AND I WOULD MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU.
3. THAT WOULD LEAD US IN EFFECT INTO THE TRADITIONAL SORT OF ARRANGEMENTS FOR YOUR VISIT. YOU WOULD STAY AT EARNSCLIFFE, I WOULD OFFER TO HOST ONE OF THE MAIN MEALS DURING YOUR VISIT, AND I WOULD HOPE TO ACCOMPANY YOU ON YOUR CALLS ON THE PRIME MINISTER AND ON THE FOREIGN MINISTER (THOUGH NOT NECESSARILY ON TRADE OR IMMIGRATION, WHERE IT MIGHT MAKE MORE SENSE FOR YOU TO GO EITHER WITH YOUR HONG KONG TEAM ALONE OR WITH THEM AND AN APPROPRIATE MEMBER OF THE HIGH COMMISSION STAFF). BUT, BEFORE WE GO SNAP ON THE TRADITIONAL MODEL, I THINK THAT I SHOULD AT LEAST PUT UP FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION A
POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE.
4.
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THIS LET US CALL IT MODEL 2 WOULD INVOLVE TRYING TO KEEP THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT THUMB AS FAR AS POSSIBLE OUT OF THE TEST-TUBE, IN ORDER TO LEAVE THE HONG KONG AND CANADIAN ELEMENTS FREE TO REACT TOGETHER. IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED TO US FROM THE CANADIAN SIDE THAT DEA ARE THINKING ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CANADA AND HONG KONG IN WHICH HONG KONG WOULD APPEAR MORE CLEARLY AS A PLAYER ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE DISTINCT FROM BOTH THE UK AND
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CONFIDENTIAL