TNAG-2024-FCO40-2886-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Commonwealth-countries-1990 — Page 6

CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING

TO DESKBY 2309OOZ FC O

TELNO 1655

OF 230709Z NOVEMBER 90

CONFIDENTIAL

da sades

par Commonweathe

ра

102314

122712 MDHIAN 0774

TOP COPY Q DIST?20/22

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

HKB O

1990

33

HONG KONG PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR.

COMM

YOUR TELNO 2208 TO HONG KONG : HONG KONG AND THE COMMONWEALTH.

1. PARA 2 OF TUR: THE CHINESE POSITION IS LIKELY TO BE THAT HONG KONG'S LINKS WITH THE COMMONWEALTH BEFORE 1997 ARE A MATTER FOR HMG AND HKG BUT THAT, THEREAFTER, ALL SUCH LINKS MUST CEASE. IN THEIR PRESENT SUSPICIOUS MOOD, WE WOULD SEE DANGER IN CONVEYING TO THE CHINESE ANY IMPRESSION THAT HONG KONG MIGHT WISH TO MAINTAIN LINKS OF AN INFORMAL NATURE WITH COMMONWEALTH BODIES AFTER 1997. IT FOLLOWS THAT ANY DEBATE SHOULD BRING OUT CLEARLY THE FACT THAT HONG KONG'S ASSOCIATION WITH THE COMMONWEALTH WILL CEASE ONCE CHINA RESUMES THE EXERCISE OF SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE TERRITORY.

DONALD

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

23

LIMITED

HKD

CCD

ADDITIONAL

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS

NNNN

DISTRIBUTION

24

FED

MR MCLAREN

MR BURNS

PAGE

1

CONFIDENTIAL