CONFIDENTIAL
Mas Banel Jor
1914
Da lutsep
45
150177
MDHIAN 6737
CONFIDENTIAL
FM SEOUL
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 194
OF 081726Z APRIL 93
TOP COPY
Q DIST?
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, ACTOR.
FROM PRIVATE SECRETARY
FOREIGN SECRETARY'S VISIT TO KOREA, 7-8 APRIL
TALKS WITH KOREAN FOREIGN MINISTER
HONG KONG
SUMMARY
FOREIGN SECRETARY SEEKS KOREAN UNDERSTANDING FOR OUR APPROACH TO HONG KONG.
1.
DETAIL
WE
2.
THE FOREIGN SECRETARY SET OUT OUR APPROACH TO HONG KONG. WANTED THE CHINESE TO UNDERSTAND THAT ALL OF THIS PART OF ASIA WANTED TO SEE A SUCCESSFUL AND PROSPEROUS HONG KONG. WE WERE NOT SEEKING KOREAN GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION. BUT WE HOPED THAT IN ANY DEALINGS WITH THE CHINESE, THE KOREANS WOULD SHOW UNDERSTANDING FOR OUR APPROACH.
3.
HAN SAID THAT THE NEW KOREAN GOVERNMENT WAS TAKING A NEW
APPROACH TO FOREIGN RELATIONS. THEY WERE TAKING MORE INTEREST IN GLOBAL AFFAIRS, EG BY SENDING PEACEKEEPING TROOPS TO SOMALIA. THEY WERE ALSO TAKING A MORE ACTIVE INTEREST IN CONCERNS OF DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND BASIC VALUES. KOREA'S RELATIONS WITH CHINA HAD SOMETIMES BEEN CONSTRAINED BY REAL POLITIK AND, BECAUSE OF THE NUCLEAR ISSUES, KOREA WOULD WANT TO MAINTAIN AS GOOD RELATIONS WITH CHINA AS POSSIBLE. HOWEVER, HAN SAID THAT HE WAS SYMPATHETIC TOWARDS THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS.
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CONFIDENTIAL
1
HKCD 021/2
RF
20 APF 1993
INL
SAR