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मारय
NORTH-EAST ASIA
PRESENT (over lunch)
Mr Masefield
Mr Hum
Mr Davies, FED
Mrs Kinoshita, FED
EC Cooperation on Asian Affairs
10.
Dr Zeller
Mr Bergner
Both sides agreed that while the EPC Asia Working Group was an effective forum for concerting policy on detailed
aspects of relations with Asia, it failed to realise its
potential for discussing broader policy issues. Dr Zeller suggested that each Presidency should be encouraged to identify two or three themes on which they might promote debate during their period of tenure. The UK had made a move in this direction by launching a study of China during its Presidency. Mr Masefield endorsed this approach and suggested that such policy discussions might take place over an extended lunch.
China/Hong Kong
11. In response to a question Mr Hum explained that there was
a tacit understanding with the Chinese that the next in the series of six-monthly UK/China Foreign Minister meetings should not take place until there was some real business they might usefully conduct. He also explained the background to the recent Chinese decision to withdraw their insistence that of
Patten's constitutional proposals should be withdrawing and to
resume talks on Hong Kong. The UK wanted to move the talks
away from principles and swiftly onto the practicalities of electoral arrangements. We had recognised that Mr Patten's approach was likely to encounter opposition from China. But it had been based on Patten's assessment of the evolving political
ECcooptalks2004
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