Х
RESTRICTED
FM TOKYO
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 358
OF 11013OZ MAY1991
ECLIVER
INDEX
RESTRICTED
HKB 020/2
06 JUN1';,
SK OFFICER
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, JLG HONG KONG
PW.
YOUR TELNO 290: JAPAN HONG KONG
►
Ра
Gill,
JAPAN
014446
MDLIAN 0081
(15)
Anyone sent you
this
yer?
Too late
1 JAPANESE POLITICAL INTEREST IN HONG KONG HAS UNDOUBTEDLY BEEN INCREASING OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. NAKAYAMA'S COMMENT TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE THAT JAPAN QUOTE SHARED SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE STABILITY OF HONG KONG IN THE FUTURE UNQUOTE (PEKING TELNO 682) REPRESENTED A CONSIDERED POLICY. THE MFA RECOGNISE THAT THEIR GROWING REGIONAL POLITICAL INFLUENCE REQUIRES THEM TO PLAY A MORE ACTIVE ROLE WITH CHINA EVEN THOUGH (AS COOPER HAD REPORTED) THE JAPANESE EMPHASIS IS ON PRESERVING ECONOMIC PROSPERITY RATHER THAN DEMOCRATIC FREEDOM. I VERY MUCH ENDORSE YOUR VIEW THAT IT IS IN OUR OWN INTEREST TO HAVE A DIALOGUE WITH JAPAN ON HONG KONG AND I ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO SIR JOHN COLES VISIT AS A WAY OF CARRYING THIS FORWARD.
2.
PARA 3 OF TUR REFERRED TO A PROSPECTIVE VISIT TO LONDON BY
THE CHINA DESK OFFICER. WE UNDERSTAND FROM THE MFA HERE THAT THEY ARE PLANNING THAT BOTH MIYAMOTO HEAD OF CHINA DIVISION) AND ISHII (DESK OFFICIER) SHOULD SPEND TWO DAYS IN LONDON, ON 3/4 JUNE, AND THEN TRAVEL TO WASHINGTON. IT IS SLIGHTLY UNFORTUNATE
THAT THIS COINCIDES WITH SIR J COLES' OWN CONSULTATIONS HERE.
NONETHELESS IT WOULD BE WRONG TO DISSUADE MIYAMOTO FROM COMING FOR
THIS REASON AND WE HOPE A PROGRAMME OF MEETINGS CAN BE LAID ON AT AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL.
3. WE HAVE ALSO DISCUSSED WITH MFA THE POSSIBILITY OF A BRIEF VISIT BY ALAN PAUL AFTER THE NEXT JLG. ALTHOUGH WE RECOGNISE THERE MAY BE LITTLE TO ADD SO SOON AFTER OTHER MEETINGS, THE MFA WOULD CERTAINLY WELCOME A READOUT ON THE JLG. AS SEEN FROM HERE, PAUL MIGHT WELL ALSO FIND IT INTERESTING TO MEET SOME OF THE PEOPLE HERE (BOTH OFFICIALS AND BUSINESSMEN) WHO ARE INFLUENTIAL IN DETERMINING JAPANESE POLICIES ON HONG KONG. WE WOULD CERTAINLY WELCOME THE VISIT IF IT PROVED POSSIBLE
(ALTHOUGH I SHALL NOT MYSELF BE HERE AFTER 12 JUNE).
WHITEHEAD
SEGUL THETFORD NURTULK UK
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