RESTRICTED STAFF IN CONFIDENCE
HKA
11 MAR 1993
RESTRICTED
STAFF IN CONFIDENCE
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 388
OF 100949Z MARCH
3
DESK OFFI
INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON
6
047531
MDHIAN 2814
AMENDED DISTRIBUTION
10 MAR
TO COPY DIST?
بنادر
FOR HKD FROM CSB
NEW SENIOR POST IN HONG KONG OFFICE IN WASHINGTON
1. DURING HIS RECENT VISIT TO LONDON AND WASHINGTON, MR WIGGHAM (SCS) DISCUSSED POSSIBLE WORKING TITLES FOR THE NEW SENIOR ECONOMIC AND TRADE AFFAIRS REPRESENTATIVE IN THE USA. AFTER DISCUSSION HERE AND WITH OUR OFFICE IN WASHINGTON WE CONSIDER THAT HONG KONG COMMISSIONER FOR ECONOMIC AND TRADE AFFAIRS, USA' WOULD BE THE PREFERRED TITLE. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE POST WOULD STILL BE ACCREDITED TO THE EMBASSY AS 'MINISTER'.
2. WE ARE UNDER CONSIDERABLE PRESSURE HERE IF WE ARE TO GET THE POST APPROVED BY THE ESTABLISHMENT SUB-COMMITTEE AND FINANCE COMMITTEE IN GOOD TIME. WE WOULD THEREFORE BE GRATEFUL FOR EARLY CONFIRMATION THAT YOU AND WASHINGTON DO NOT SEE DIFFICULTY WITH
THE PROPOSED WORKING TITLE.
3. WE HAVE CONSIDERED WHETHER WE SHOULD INFORM THE CHINESE OF THE NEW POST AND TITLE. BUT GIVEN THE CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES, WE CONSIDER THIS UNWISE AS IT WOULD ONLY RESULT IN DELAYS. IF THE CHINESE PICK UP ON IT LATER, WE CAN ALWAYS SAY THAT OUR US OFFICERS ARE ACCREDITED TO THE BRITISH DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS THERE (AND THEREFORE NOT OF CHINESE CONCERN) BUT THAT AS WITH THE PREVIOUS EXERCISE TO SEPARATE OUT AN ETO (BRUSSELS), WE WOULD CONSULT THE CHINESE ON THEIR STATUS AND TITLES LATER ON.
PATTEN
YYYY
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RESTRICTED STAFF IN CONFIDENCE