A
Mr
CONFIDENTIA
Hym
Tolpa to mains.
+
سی
Cu 15/100
FROM: J-C Morris
Hong Kong Department
DATE: 15 December 1992
cc: Mr Pellew, NAD
10/12
Whitrey
بهج
115/12
145
B
HONG KONG: CHINA/MFN
1.
14
In Hong Kong Telno 2886 the Governor suggests that a message be passed to President-elect Clinton thanking him for his concern over Hong Kong, and expressing the hope that the Governor can meet him shortly after inauguration to explain his policies and also the difficulties which could arise if MFN became tied up with the political situation in Hong Kong.
2. This accords broadly with the line we have agreed to
recommend that the Prime Minister should take in his telephone call to Mr Clinton during his visit to Washington this weekend.
The recent exchange of telegrams (particularly Peking
telno 1735) has pointed up three particular concerns:
3.
(a) That in explaining the Governor's concerns to Mr
Clinton's camp we should take account of US
domestic sensitivities about Hong Kong's role in
lobbying for MFN renewal;
(b) When announcing the visit publicly we should be
careful to avoid either offending US sensitivities
or fueling Chinese paranoia about a US/UK/HK plot;
and
hk.chn.ADM
SLM
CONFIDENTIAL
Page 30Page 31