TNAG-1739-FCO40-2455-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-the-UK-1988 — Page 4

FAYADL

Mr Furness

SPD

HKB020/2

9D C

From:

CO Hum

FILE

13

Hong Kong Department

Date:

16 December 1988

CC:

Mr McLaren

Mr Cooper, FED

Mr Colvin, SEAD

PACIFIC RIM HEADS OF MISSION CONFERENCE

1.

Thank you for sending me a copy of your minute of

15 December.

2.

From the narrowest departmental point of view I cannot offer strong arguments for a conference of Heads of Mission from the Pacific Rim. Our departmental interests are highly localised (not to say parochial), But from every other point of view I think your idea is well worth pursuing.

It is a truism that the next century

will be the age of the Pacific Rim: we have every interest in taking an over-view of the area and of our policy towards it. Hong Kong has the potential to be a key player, although alas no longer under British sovereignty.

3.

We could not of course offer a Head of Mission who would take part, although I have no doubt that the Political Adviser in Hong Kong would wish to attend and to make a major contribution. I think it would be important to have representation from the Western seaboard of North America (San Francisco and perhaps also Vancouver).

ствии

CO Hum