65
RESTRICTED
FM PARIS
TO DESKBY 281200Z FCO
TELNO 248
OF 280945Z FEBRUARY 90
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG
MOKONG
76
RESTRICTED
So
010552
MDHIAN 8926
HD 340 // TOP COPY
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
O 5 MAR 1990
DESK OFFICER INDEX
PA
a
DIST?
REGISTRY
Action Taken
FCO TELNO 119: HONG KONG: INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT: FRANCE
1. H OF C CALLED ON LACOMBE (DIRECTEUR ADJOINT ASIE) ON 27 FEBRUARY. LACOMBE CONFIRMED THAT AN OFFER AFFECTING ABOUT 1200 PEOPLE HAD BEEN
PUT CONFIDENTIALLY TO SOME FRENCH FIRMS IN HONG KONG. THIS HAD LEAKED THROUGH THE AFP CORRESPONDENT IN HONG KONG. THE LINE TAKEN IN . PARIS IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS HAD, HOWEVER, BEEN NEITHER TO CONFIRM NOR DENY. MACGREGOR ASKED WHETHER THE FRENCH REGARDED THE MATTER AS NOW BEING IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. LACOMBE REPLIED NOT, FORMALLY. MACGREGOR THEN ASKED, GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ISSUE FOR CONFIDENCE BUILDING IN HONG KONG, HOW FAR WE COULD GO WITHOUT ACTUALLY EMBARRASSING THE QUAI. LACOMBE THOUGHT A REFERENCE TO CERTAIN EC COUNTRIES TAKING MEASURES TO SAFEGUARD INTERESTS OF HONG KONG CHINESE WOULD BE FINE, BUT A SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO A FIRM FRENCH COMMITMENT WOULD GO BEYOND WHAT THE QUAI HAD SAID PUBLICLY THEMSELVES.
2. LACOMBE DESCRIBED THE OFFER ITSELF SLIGHTLY DIFFERENTLY FROM MY
--TELNO 184. HE SAID NOT MORE THAN 100 HAD BEEN GIVEN THE RIGHT, IN
PRINCIPLE, TO APPLY FOR FRENCH CITIZENSHIP (THOUGH THIS WAS A LENGTHY PROCESS, EVEN ONCE ONE WAS IN FRANCE) AND ABOUT A THOUSAND WOULD HAVE THE EQUIVALENT OF RIGHT OF ABODE IN FRANCE, WITH PAPERS THAT WOULD ENABLE THEM TO MAKE MULTIPLE ENTRIES.
FERGUSSON
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
.HK AGREEMENT
LIMITED
HKD
HD/FED
69
DISTRIBUTION
79
PS/MR MAUDE
PS/LORD BRABAZON
PS/PUS
MR P J WESTON
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