TNAG-0611-FCO40-759-Presence-of-Warsaw-Pact-countries-in-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 88

HKD

UND

MCD

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2. WE ENTIRELY AGREE WITH THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF PEKING

TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE ABOUT THE CHINESE DIMENSION. BUT

GIVEN CONNEXION BETWEEN THE THREE QUESTIONS, WE HOPE THAT ANSWER TO (1) WILL EQUALLY AVOID SUGGESTING THAT FORMAL REQUESTS MADE THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS HAVE BEEN BLOCKED

OR THAT IF SUCH REQUESTS WERE NOW MADE THEY WOULD BE GRANTED,

3. AS FAR AS WE CAN DISCOVER THE FACTS, WE HAVE NO RECORD OF

ANY FORMAL REQUEST TO THE F C O FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CONSULAR REPRESENTATION IN HONG KONG FROM WARSAW PACT COUNTRIES, BUT THERE IS A POLISH CONSUL-GENERAL RESIDENT IN LONDON WHO HAS JURISDICTION IN HONG KONG (MILTON'S LETTER OF 30 SEPTEMBER 1976 TO DONALD),

4. IN RECENT YEARS, COMMERCIAL VISITORS FROM SOME WARSAW PACT COUNTRIES HAVE ASKED BODIES SUCH AS THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

AND THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY ABOUT THE ESTABLISHMENT

OF TRADE MISSIONS OR TRADE PROMOTION OFFICES IN HONG KONG. THESE

PRODES HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRINCIPLES SET OUT IN CIRCULAR SAVINGRAM NO 360/59 OF 23 MARCH 1959 FROM THE THEN COLONIAL SECRETARY. THE REPLY HAS USUALLY BEEN THAT WE DO NOT CONSIDER THE PROPOSALS TO BE OF MATERIAL BENEFIT TO HONG KONG

OR IN OUR BEST INTERESTS. HONG KONG'S EXPORTS TO WARSUW PACT COUNTRIES ACCOUNT FOR A TRIFLING PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL OF HONG KONG'S EXPORT TRADE (LESS THAN 2%). WE ALSO KEEP FULLY IN MIND THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S ASSURANCES TO THE CHINESE FOREIGN . MINISTER LAST YEAR (PEKING TELEGRAM NO 32 TO HONG KONG OF 5 MAY 1976).

5. CN QUESTION (1) THEREFORE WE RECOMMEND A FIRM BUT INEXPLICIT STATEMENT ON THE LINES: QUOTE NO FORMAL REQUESTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED. HOWEVER, THE CONDITIONS THAT WOULD MAKE SUCH REPRESENTATIONS ACCEPTABLE DO NOT EXIST UNQUOTE.

MACLEHOSE

FILES

EESD

MR.CORTAZZI

MR.MURRAY

COPIES TO:

MR.LIPSEY. PRIVATE OFFICE. MR.S.T.KIDD, HKGC,,6,GRAFTON STR.

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