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INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, JLG HONG KONG, PERING
MARTIN LEE'S VISIT TO WASHINGTON: 4-8 NOVEMBER
SUMMARY
1. LEE CRITICISED THE UK FOR NOT PROMOTING FASTER DEMOCRACY IN HONG KONG. HOPED FOR US SUPPORT. ADMINISTRATION NON-COMMITTAL, ARGUING THAT HONG KONG IS A BILATERAL MATTER FOR THE UK AND CHINA. BUT THEY EXPECT TO COME UNDER CONGRESSIONAL PRESSURE TO DO MORE.
DETAIL
2.
MARTIN LEE WAS IN WASHINGTON FROM 4-8 NOVEMBER, FOR A VISIT ARRANGED BY SENATOR MACK. HE HAD MEETINGS WITH THE VICE-PRESIDENT, KANTER (UNDER-SECRETARY FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS AT STATE), MASSEY (DEPUTY USTR), SEVERAL CONGRESSMEN, AND ADDRESSED THE CONGRESSIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS CAUCUS.
3. IN HIS CALLS ON THE ADMINISTRATION, LEE CRITICISED THE UK'S TENDENCY TO GIVE IN TO CHINA ON HONG KONG ISSUES. HE WAS PARTICULARLY SCATHING ABOUT THE UK'S FAILURE TO PRESS THE CHINESE TO AGREE TO ACCELERATE THE INTRODUCTION OF DEMOCRACY. HE WANTED AT LEAST 50 PERCENT OF LEGCO SEATS TO BE DIRECTLY ELECTED BY 1995. HE URGED THE US TO DO MORE TO SUPPORT DEMOCRACY IN HONG KONG, AND HOPED THAT BAKER WOULD RAISE THIS DURING HIS VISIT TO PEKING. ALSO URGED THE ADMINISTRATION TO SUPPORT LEGISLATION CURRENTLY BEFORE CONGRESS (MCCONNELL AND PORTER BILLS) ON US/HONG KONG RELATIONS.
4.
HE
IN RESPONSE, OFFICIALS TOLD HIM THAT THE US'S LONGSTANDING POLICY WAS TO SUPPORT THE JOINT DECLARATION, AND TO LEAVE DETAILED IMPLEMENTATION TO THE UK AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS. BUT THEY WERE SYMPATHETIC TO LEE'S CONCERNS: KANTER SAID HE WOULD LOOK INTO THE
MATTER FURTHER.
5. LEE RAISED VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS WITH LYMAN (DIRECTOR, REFUGEE PROGRAMMES BUREAU) AND WITH THE NSC. LEE SAID THAT, IN THE ABSENCE OF BETTER ALTERNATIVES, INVOLUNTARY REPATRIATION WAS THE ONLY SOLUTION. HE URGED THE ADMINISTRATION TO MAKE CLEAR,
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THAT THE SCREENED OUT WOULD NOT BE RESETTLED IN THE US.
ENCOURAGE MORE VOLUNTARY RETURNS.
THIS WOULD
AT HIS MEETING WITH MASSEY, LEE EMPHASISED THAT HONG KONG'S ECONOMY WAS CLOSELY RELATED TO CHINA, AND THAT US ACTIONS ON MFN OR SANCTIONS UNDER SECTION 301 WOULD HURT HONG KONG.
6.
LEE MADE MANY OF THE SAME POINTS IN HIS MEETINGS ON THE HILL. IN TESTIMONY BEFORE THE CONGRESSIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS CAUCUS HE EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR THE JOINT DECLARATION, BUT CRITICISED THE UK AND CHINA FOR NOT HAVING PROMOTED GREATER AUTONOMY. HE NOTED THAT A STRONG ECONOMY WAS THE BEST GUARANTEE OF HONG KONG'S FUTURE AFTER 1997, AND URGED CONGRESS TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE EFFECTS ON HONG KONG OF TRADE LEGISLATION DIRECTED AT CHINA. HE WANTED HONG KONG TO BE TREATED SEPARATELY FROM CHINA FOR COCOM, MFN, AND THE MULTI-FIBRE ARRANGEMENT. BUT HE REFUSED TO BE DRAWN INTO A DETAILED DISCUSSION OF MFN, ARGUING THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO RISK UPSETTING THE ALREADY TENSE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HIS PARTY AND THE
CHINESE GOVERNMENT.
COMMENT
8.
ACCORDING TO OUR CONTACTS, LEE WAS ONLY RECEIVED AT SUCH A HIGH LEVEL BECAUSE OF STRONG CONGRESSIONAL PRESSURE TO DO SO. ADMINISTRATION, CLEARLY, DID NOT WANT TO BE ACCUSED OF SNUBBING LEE THE WEEK BEFORE BAKER VISITED PEKING. OUR CONTACTS AT STATE HAVE TOLD US THAT THEY EXPECT SOME CONGRESSMEN TO FOLLOW UP LEE'S LOBBYING BY WRITING TO BAKER TO URGE HIM TO RAISE HONG KONG WHILE HE IS IN CHINA. OFFICIALS DOUBT, HOWEVER, WHETHER BAKER WILL WANT
AT LEAST WITHOUT CONSULTING US FIRST.
TO DO SO
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MS BARRETT LEGAL ADVISERS MISS BROOKS LEGAL ADVISERS
MISS NEVILLE-JONES CAB OFFICE SIR P CRADOCK NO.10
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