TNAG-1759-FCO40-2511-Future-of-Hong-Kong-10th-meeting-of-the-Sino-British-Joint-L-1988 — Page 15

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BRITISH HIGH

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BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION

R.

Pl. registo & bual to Mr Nood o.r.

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RE

7/25

18 OCT 1988

C T Wood Esq

Hong Kong Department

WH307

F CO

Aw20

Your reference

Our reference

S

Cε 18/10 254

Date

13 October 1988

Dear Chris

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: 10TH MEETING OF THE JOIN LIAISON GROUP (JLG)

1.

239

I

Thank you for your letter of 29 September asking for feedback on the usefulness of our briefing exercise with the Canadians. apologise that you received no feedback on the previous occasion.

2.

In the case of the 10th Meeting of the JLG, I personally briefed Bruce Jutzi, the Deputy Director of the DEA's North Asia. Relations Division, and Gordon Holden, their new Desk Officer for Hong Kong and China, who has recently returned from a posting in Warsaw but was previously in Peking. As is evident, there has been some decline in the level at which these briefings have taken place: initially the Deputy High Commissioner would call on the Assistant Deputy Minister for the DEA's Asia and Pacific Branch; a s time wore on this became the Director General, and latterly our briefings have been at the equivalent of Departmental level.

3.

Bruce told me that the DEA is grateful for our briefings and that they keep a watchful eye on developments in Hong Kong, particularly on aspects which may affect the flow of emigrants to Canada (he said these were now running at approximately 20,000 a year, and that the number of «Canadian Citizens of Hong Kong origin now living back in Hong Kong was approximately 19,000). He did not, however, feel that it was strictly necessary for us to call on the Department at the conclusion of each meeting of the JLG and provide a full briefing. He suggested that we might instead send over a copy of the text of the Communiqué issued at the end of each meeting, which they would study. If any questions arose, they would then get in touch with us with a request for specific additional information.

4. He also said that the Department was receiving comprehensive reporting from their Post in Hong Kong, and added that they were grateful for the co-operation which the Post received in all its official dealings in the territory.

5. Do you see any particular objection to carrying out future briefings here in the way suggested?

copies:

SC Bradley Esq, DPA, Hong Kong RC Wilson Esq, GDB, Hong Kong G H Leicester Esq, UKREP JLG, HK CO Pigott Esq, PEKING

Your ever

Charles

CCD Haswell Second Secretary

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