TNAG-1927-FCO40-2744-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Sino-British-Joint-Liaison-Group-sub-gro-1989 — Page 63

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MDLOAN 2912

WOULD BE IN YOUR INTERESTS: AND THAT A TERRITORY OF HONG KONG'S SIZE AND ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE SHOULD HAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO BE INVOLVED IN DISCUSSIONS IN THIS IMPORTANT AREA. WE HAVE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THERE ARE NO PRECEDENTS FOR REFUSING SUCH A REQUEST FROM THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THAT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES PARTICIPATE IN A WIDE VARIETY OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS AND CONFERENCES EITHER IN THEIR OWN RIGHT OR AS

PART OF THE UK DELEGATION.

6. WE HAVE HOWEVER SO FAR BEEN UNABLE TO WIN THE DTI OVER. UNLESS YOU AND WE CAN COME UP WITH FURTHER ARGUMENTS, WE ARE NOT CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN PERSUADE THEM TO RECONSIDER.

7. IF YOU WISH TO PURSUE THIS, AS WE ASSUME YOU DO, GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD CLARIFY YOUR VIEW OF HONG KONG'S ROLE IN THIS PARTICULAR CONFERENCE AND CONFIRM WHETHER YOU WISH TO BE INVOLVED AS A SILENT OR ACTIVE PARTICIPANT. IT WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL IF

YOU COULD OUTLINE ANY PARTICULAR ADVANTAGES YOU BELIEVE WILL DERIVE FROM PARTICIPATION. WE SHALL CERTAINLY PRESS AS HARD AS

WE CAN IN THE FACE OF WHAT SEEMS TO BE RATHER UNREASONABLE

OPPOSITION FROM THE DTI.

HOWE

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

52

ΜΑΙΝ

49

.HONG KONG AGREEMENT

.(RESTRICTED)

LIMITED

PUSD

HKD

HD/FED

RESEARCH (FE)

ADDITIONAL

3

PS/LORD GLENARTHUR

PS/MR EGGAR

MR GILLMORE

MR MCLAREN

MR EDWARDS LEGAL ADVISERS

MR WHOMERSLEY LEGAL ADVISERS

MR FIFOOT HKD

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