TNAG-1394-FCO40-1866-Future-of-Hong-Kong-interest-from-other-countries-1985 — Page 23

<

(ii) do not fit easily into traditional

structures of cooperation, and;

(iii) cannot be tackled on a basis of

European insularity, ie should put our extra-European connections and experience at

a premium?

V

Prescriptions and Opportunities

a) General: need to distinguish between areas

where we should aim for closer bilateral

cooperation with one partner; closer bilateral

cooperation with both; informal triangular

cooperation; and areas (if any) where we should

avoid "hard core" tactics altogether.

Criteria

for making these choices? (NB that a single

objective, eg keeping the WEU revival on the right

lines, may be served by both bilateral and

triangular (and backed up by multilateral)

diplomacy.)

b) Cautionary points. In identifying areas of

(especially bilateral) cooperation, don't assume

that like activities, or like concerns in a

particular field will necessarily make dialogue

with the UK attractive to the other side. The

question is not similarity but complementarity

and/or dependence: is there a potential demandeur

relationship? Are we listening carefully enough