@
Last night the Koreans also let me have a copy of their draft press release (attached). I advised them not to use the term "full participants" with which the Chinese might find difficulty and to replace it by "members". The Koreans were somehow reluctant to make this change, having apparently cleared the draft with other delegations at Kyongju. They are still considering.
5.
I propose that we respond with a press statement today in your name, welcoming the announcement, thanking the Korean Government and expressing our readiness to participate fully at the APEC process. We might add that you would personally lead the Hong Kong delegation at the Seoul ministerial meeting in November. I shall put up a draft as soon as I have obtained the final version of the Korean press release from Kyongju.
6.
The scene is now set for our formal admission into APEC.
7.
I shall prepare an information note on this for ExCo next week. Meanwhile I have copied this report to UKREP JLG in case the Chinese Side raise this matter at their regular informal meetings.
28 August 1991
Отличния
(Donald Tsang)
Director-General of Trade
c.c. Acting Governor, FS, PA, UKREP JLG, PR Geneva.