TNAG-1967-FCO40-2799-Confidence-building-measures-for-Hong-Kong-1989 — Page 11

نا

CONFIDENTIAL

FM BTC HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY

TELNO 426

FCO

OF 28070OZ SEPTEMBER 89

18

17

CONFIDENTIAL

001152 MDLIAN 4087

HKD 091/1

TOP COPY

MY TELNO 375 AND YOUR TELNO 1737 TO HONG KONG: CONFIDENCE BUILDING MEASURES: HONG KONG AND THE COMMONWEALTH

1. YOUR TUR ASKED FOR IMAGINATIVE IDEAS ON PRESERVING HONG KONG'S CONFIDENCE. ADDITIONAL TO THE SUGGESTIONS IN MY TUR I WONDER WHETHER CONSIDERATION HAS BEEN GIVEN TO HONG KONG'S MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMONWEALTH AFTER 1997 AND PERHAPS EARLIER, AND THE POSSIBLE DISCUSSION OF THIS AT KUALA LUMPUR.

2. THE COMMONWEALTH IS NOTHING IF NOT A FLEXIBLE ORGANISATION. ITS RULES ARE WHAT ITS MEMBERS DECIDE TO MAKE THEM. THERE IS CONSIDERABLE SYMPATHY WITHIN THE COMMONWEALTH FOR HONG KONG'S SITUATION NOW AND IN 1997, PARTICULARLY SINCE ALL OTHER MEMBER COUNTRIES WERE FREE TO OPT FOR FULL INDEPENDENCE AFTER THE ENDING OF COLONIAL RULE. MOREOVER THE COMMONWEALTH IS A SUFFICIENTLY FLEXIBLE ORGANISATION THAT PERHAPS IT IS JUST POSSIBLE THAT HONG KONG'S CONTINUING MEMBERSHIP MIGHT BE ACCEPTABLE TO CHINA FOR THE 50 YEAR PERIOD OF THE AGREEMENT. IT COULD BE PRESENTED AS AN INNOCUOUS OLD BOYS CLUB. A SEAT IN THE UNITED NATIONS OR MEMBERSHIP OF A MORE CLEARLY DEFINED INTERNATIONAL BODY WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE A DIFFERENT MATTER, AND WOULD CARRY CLEARLY DEFINED IMPLICATIONS OF SOVEREIGNTY. COMMONWEALTH MEMBERSHIP MIGHT JUST ESCAPE THIS IF WE AND OTHER COMMONWEALTH MEMBERS WISHED IT TO DO SO. THE COMMONWEALTH CHANGED ITS WHOLE CONSITUTIONAL BASIS TO ACCOMMODATE INDIA IN 1947 WHEN IT OPTED TO BECOME A REPUBLIC. IT COULD PERHAPS DO SO AGAIN TO ACCOMMODATE HONG KONG NOW IF IT WISHED.

3. SUCH A MOVE WOULD EXTEND HONG KONG'S INTERNATIONAL LINKS AND MAKE POSSIBLE THE HOLDING OF ADDITIONAL INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS HERE, WITH HIGH PROFILE GATHERINGS LIKE HEADS OF GOVERNMENT OR FINANCE MINISTERS OR LOWER PROFILE TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL MEETINGS. BUT ANY SUCH WOULD HELP INCREASE HONG KONG'S INTERNATIONAL FLAVOUR.

4. THIS IDEA HAS RECEIVED AN AIRING AT THE MONTHLY MEETING OF COMMONWEALTH COMMISSIONERS HERE. THE CANADIAN AND THE NEW ZEALAND, BOTH SENIOR SINOLOGISTS IN THEIR FOREIGN SERVICES, THOUGHT IT WORTH RUNNING, AND THE CANADIAN SAID IT WAS ALREADY UNDER CONSIDERATION IN OTTAWA. NONE THOUGHT IT TOTALLY OUT OF COURT.

1

PAGE

CONFIDENTIAL