RESTRICTED
15
147225
MDLIAN 2865
HKC 02015
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
RESTRICTED
FM ATTC TAIPEI
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 31
OF 09082OZ FEBRUARY 93
AND TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
t
ra
.33
DESK OFFICER
REGISTRY
INDEX
PA
Action Taken
INFO ROUTINE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG
10
@
YOUR TELNO 12 AND HONG KONG TELNO 145: TAIPEI CULTURAL AND INFORMATION CENTRE.
SUMMARY
1. TAIWANESE WILL DELAY OPENING OF EXPANDED OFFICE, BUT PROBLEMS OVER LEASE. OUR DIFFICULTIES OVER NAME CHANGE FULLY UNDERSTOOD.
DETAIL
2. BY GOOD FORTUNE, I FOUND MYSELF SITTING NEXT TO JASON HU, DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE GOVERNMENT INFORMATION OFFICE (GIO) AT THE LUNCH WHICH HE GAVE TODAY IN HONOUR OF THE VISITING PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION MISSION. I SPOKE AS IN THE FIRST SENTENCE
OF THE FIRST TUR.
3. HU SAID HE FULLY UNDERSTOOD OUR DIFFICULTIES OVER THE NAME CHANGE AND WOULD SEE WHAT COULD BE DONE. THE ACTUAL TIMING OF THE CHANGE-OVER WAS MORE PROBLEMATIC SINCE HE WAS ABOUT TO TAKE OUT THE LEASE ON A SUITABLE PROPERTY. HOWEVER, HE WOULD NOT WANT TO EMBARRASS US BY MOVING PREMATURELY, BUT WONDERED HOW LONG WE WOULD EXPECT HIM TO DELAY BEYOND THE LEGCO DEBATE AT THE END OF FEBRUARY. I SAID THAT NO ONE COULD PREDICT HOW THE LATTER WOULD GO BUT THERE WAS BOUND TO BE FALL-OUT, POSSIBLY FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AFTERWARDS. HE SAID HE WOULD TRY AND DELAY THE OPENING OF THE NEW OFFICE FOR ''A COUPLE OF MONTHS' AND AGREED TO KEEP IN TOUCH. HE AGAIN ASSURED ME OF HIS STRONG PERSONAL SUPPORT FOR THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS.
COMMENT
4. I FOUND HU RATHER MORE RELAXED ON THIS SUBJECT THAN PREVIOUSLY, WHICH MAY BE DUE TO THE FACT THAT PREMIER HSU IS OFF THE SCENE AND HU BELIEVES THAT HE HIMSELF MAY GO BACK TO THE PRESIDENT'S STAFF. THIS COULD BE GOOD NEWS FOR US MORE GENERALLY, BUT WE SHALL NEED TO ENSURE THAT HIS HELPFULNESS OVER THE HONG KONG OFFICE IS ADOPTED BY WHOEVER SUCCEEDS HIM AT THE GIO.
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