CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 021/3
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TELELETTER PEKING
TO
OF 261715Z FEBRUARY 92
TELELETTER NFR
св
INFO TELELETTER HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
My Man's
4
126506
MDTTAN 3583
pa
WASHINGTON
FROM: PETER RICKETTS, HONG KONG DEPARTMENT
FOR: SIR ROBIN MCLAREN, HM AMBASSADOR PEKING COPIED TO:
W EHRMAN, POLITICAL ADVISER, HONG KONG
AR PAUL, UKREP JLG, HONG KONG
SD PATTISON ESQ, WASHINGTON
H LL DAVIES ESQ, FED
POST-1997 U.S. PRESENCE IN HONG KONG
1. I AM SORRY T HAVE TAKEN SO LONG TO RESPOND TO YOUR TELELETTER OF 30′ JANUARY. I HAVE ALSO NOW SEEN DAVID COATES' FOLLOW UP OF 13 FEBRUARY AND WILLIAM EHRMAN'S TELELETTER OF
24 FEBRUARY.
2
2. WE WERE INTERESTED TO SEE THE WAY THE AMERICANS' MINDS ARE MOVING ON THE FUTURE OF THEIR PRESENCE IN HONG KONG. THE U.S. HAVE MADE NO APPROACH TO US HERE ABOUT IT, AND WE HAD PREVIOUSLY HEARD NO MENTION OF THE KIND OF INTER-AGENCY DEBATE
TO WHICH THE U.S. AMBASSADOR REFERRED.
3
WE HAVE AS YOU KNOW BEEN GIVING THOUGHT TO THE SCALE OF OUR OWN PRESENCE IN HONG KONG, IN THE CONTEXT OF THE NEW CONSULATE-GENERAL. THE SCHEDULE OF REQUIREMENTS INDICATES SOME 60 UK BASED AND ABOUT 200 LOCALLY ENGAGED STAFF (NOT COUNTING
THE BRITISH COUNCIL PRESENCE). A LOT OF THIS WILL BE MADE UP OF
THE LARGE PASSPORT ISSUING/IMMIGRATION/CONSULAR RESPONSIBILITIES
WE SHALL INHERIT FROM THE HK GOVERNMENT (INCIDENTALLY OED HAVE
JUST ISSUED A DESIGN BRIEF TO 6 ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICES TO
ENABLE THEM TO DO OUTLINE DESIGNS. WE SHALL SEND YOU A COPY.)
I
4. SO OUR PLANS FOR THE BUILDING AND IDEAS FOR ITS STAFFING ARE
REALLY QUITE ADVANCED. BUT WE HAVE NOT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED THE DEFENCE ATTACHE QUESTION. THE MOD TELL US THAT THEY DO NOT
PLAN TO STATION AN ATTACHE (AS SUCH) IN THE CONSULATE-GENERAL IN HONG KONG, BUT A ROYAL NAVAL LIAISON OFFICER MIGHT BE BASED
1
PAGE
CONFIDENTIAL