RESTRICTED
129
111433
MDHIAN 9666,
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 27120OZ FCO
TELNO 2776
OF 270946Z NOVEMBER 92
AND TO DESKBY 30040OZ ATTC TAIPEI
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
28
ние огок
TAIPEI TELNO 96 TO FCO: TAIWANESE NEWS AND CULTURAL CENTRE IN HONG KONG
1. THE TAIWANESE WISH TO ESTABLISH SOME FORM OF
INFORMATION/CULTURE CENTRE IN HONG KONG DATES BACK SOME WAY. IN JULY 1990 WE AGREED TO THEM ESTABLISHING A BRANCH OF THE PACIFIC FOUNDATION HERE, BUT WARNED THEM IT SHOULD NOT HAVE A PROVOCATIVE NAME.
2. SINCE THEN, THE TAIWANESE HAVE ESTABLISHED THE TAIPEI TRADE CENTRE. WE EXPECT THEY WOULD WANT TO CALL THE CENTRE SOMETHING LIKE THE TAIPEI CULTURAL CENTRE.
3. IDEALLY, A NAME LIKE PACIFIC FOUNDATION (HK) WOULD BE BEST. ON TIMING: THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SUCH A CENTRE IN THE MIDST OF THE CURRENT ROW WITH CHINA COULD ADD FURTHER FUEL TO THE FIRE. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL THEREFORE IF MORRICE COULD PROBE JASON HU AS TO THE TIMING THEY HAVE IN MIND, AND ASK WHAT NAME THEY ARE THINKING OF CALLING IT (REMINDING HU OF THE 1990 PROPOSAL, WHICH CAUSED US NO DIFFICULTIES). OUR INFORMATION IS THEY ARE THINKING OF THE SPRING, BUT AS YET HAVE FOUND NO PREMISES. IF THIS IS CORRECT, IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO US IF THEY TOOK THEIR TIME ABOUT SETTING THE CENTRE UP. COINCIDING TOO CLOSELY WITH THE CRUNCH VOTE IN LEGCO ON THE GOVERNOR'S CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS WOULD NOT/NOT BE IDEAL. LATE NEXT YEAR WOULD BE FAR BETTER.
FORD
YYYY
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