Canadian High Commission
Political Affairs Macdonald House 1 Grosvenor Square
London W1X (AB
Cunudu
Haut Commissariat du Canada
Affaires politiques
Tel: 071-258-6519
071-258-6332
Fax: 071-258-6606
Mr. Peter Ricketts
Head, Hong Kong Dept.
FCO
Dear Peter,
su folio 20
December 15, 1993
for Mr Rickett's letter out.
Overtake
Pa
Пив
ше броке (Hand cc.).
Further to our telephone conversation earlier this week, this is to confirm the proposal for a meeting to exchange views on Hong Kong for the week of January 10 in Vancouver.
We are hoping that the United States, Australia and Japan as well as our two countries will each be able to send two representatives to the meeting. We are further hoping that those representatives will include a director or Head of Department and one other official. We are, of course, very much hoping that you will be able to attend.
Initial reactions are now coming in from the other capitals and reaction is generally positive, so I trust the meetings will proceed. The meeting will be independent of any other meetings or events and will be informal. We are aware of the need to avoid any publicity for the meeting, so we intend to keep participation at the working level.
Our suggestion for the agenda would include an opening session with a tour d'horizon of current UK/PRC negotiations by whomever represents the UK, followed by statements of general views by each of the other participating countries. We would then plan to discuss the key practical questions facing each participant in the lead up to the transition.
The list of these practical questions for discussion would include:
A) political issues such as how best to support confidence in Hong Kong in the lead up to 1997, the role of consulates after 1997 and the international profile of Hong Kong, including Hong Kong's relationship with the Commonwealth;
B) economic issues such as Hong Kong's relationship with APEC, policy on investment and on export controls and the status of Hong Kong in respect of various agreements, including those on air services and textiles;
J20/12
30/12
.../2