CONFIDENTIAL
FM BTC HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 32
OF 280224Z JANUARY 91
INFO PRIORITY DTI
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY Q DIST 2
22
162364
MDLIAN 3927
5 Dir Mom's
HKD 340/5
RECEIVED
2 9 JAN 1991
ря
28/1
DESK
INDEX
PA
FOR PAUL, HKD (FCO) AND FOR LOVE, OT2/2 DTI) :******
YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 33: BRITISH UNDERTAKINGS.
1. WE HAVE NO DIFFICULTIES WITH THE SUGGESTIONS IN YOUR PARA 2
AND WILL IMPLEMENT THEM IN OUR LISTS.
2. THE NEXT MEETING OF THE ADVISORY GROUP WILL BE PM ON 29 JANUARY. I HOPE THAT WE WILL THEN BE READY TO TAKE DECISIONS ON ALL OR MOST OF HUTCHISON, WHARF, MTR, KCR AND TOWN GAS, WHICH ARE THOSE I ASSUME YOU HAVE IN MIND IN REFERRING TO THE DIFFICULT CASES. I MIGHT MENTION THAT ANY DELAYS IN REACHING DECISIONS ON THESE HAS NOT BEEN OCCASIONED BY DILATORINESS OR INDECISION. THE COMMITTEE HAS BEEN MEETING FREQUENTLY WITH VERY CONSIDERABLE PREPARATIONS BY THIS OFFICE BETWEEN EACH MEETING. THESE CASES ARE DIFFICULT BECAUSE MUCH OF THE INFORMATION WE NEED IS NOT READILY AVAILABLE EVEN TO THE COMPANIES OR GROUPS CONCERNED: WE HAVE HAD TO GO BACK TO EACH A NUMBER OF TIMES SEEKING NEW INFORMATION EG OF SHAREHOLDINGS, PRECISE NATIONALITY STATUS OF BOARD MEMBERS OF VARIOUS BOARDS, AND OF SENIOR MANAGERS, TRADE FIGURES ETC.
3. I HOPE IT WILL ALSO BE APPRECIATED THAT THIS IS VERY MUCH A CONTINUING PROCESS (BY CONTRAST TO THE ASSUMPTION IN PARA 1 OF FCO TELNO 34 FROM HEADS OF MISSION SECTION TO ME), AND IS LIKELY TO GO ON FOR SOME MONTHS. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE HKG IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT HAVE ABOUT A THOUSAND NAMES OF CLAIMED BRITISH UNDERTAKINGS WHICH THEY ARE ABOUT TO PUT TO US. I ASSUME MOST OF THESE WILL BE IN THE LISTS OF THOSE WE HAVE ALREADY CONSIDERED, BUT IT WILL BE SURPRISING IF THERE ARE NOT A FAIR NUMBER THAT WILL BE NEW TO US AND WILL HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE COMMITTEE.
HEAP
YYYY
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