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CONFIDENTIAL
023235
MDLIAN 3192
CONFIDENTIAL
FM OTTAWA
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 202
OF 03232OZ MARCH 90
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG, PEKING, TOKYO CANBERRA
INFO PRIORITY SINGAPORE, EC POSTS, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
YOUR TELNO 32 TO BTC HONG KONG: INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR HONG KONG
SUMMARY
1. CANADIAN PRESS REPORT CANADIAN GOVERNMENT REACTIONS TO THE DAILY
MAIL STORY IN AN UNHELPFUL WAY. THE STORY WILL HAVE MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO SECURE CANADIAN SUPPORT FOR HONG KONG ON THIS POINT, BUT THE PROSPECTS WERE IN ANY CASE POOR.
DETAIL
2.
I TOOK ADVANTAGE OF A MEETING WITH ANNE-MARIE DOYLE (ASSISTANT SECRETARY TO THE CABINET) ON 1 MARCH TO TRY TO PREVENT ANY HARMFUL
FALL OUT HERE FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARTICLE ABOUT PASSPORT AGREEMENTS.
SHE TOOK THE OCCASION TO WARN THAT WE SHOULD NOT READ TOO MUCH INTO THE RATHER UPBEAT LINE MULRONEY HAD TAKEN DURING HIS MEETING WITH YOU: IT WAS INFACT MOST UNLIKELY THAT THE CANADIANS WOULD BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING BUT HELP US ON THIS POINT. BUT SHE AGREED THAT THE CANADIANS COULD AT LEAST STICK TO THE LINE THAT WE HAD PUT SOME IDEAS TO THEM AND THAT THE MATTER WAS UNDER REVIEW.
3.
THIS LINE WAS CLEARLY NOT PREVAILED IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CANADIAN BUREAUCRACY. UNDER THE HEADLINE QUOTE HONG KONG PASSPORT PLAN SNUBBED BY CANADA UNQUOTE TODAY'S (2 MARCH) OTTAWA CITIZEN REPORTED THAT CANADA HAS REJECTED A BRITISH REQUEST TO ISSUE PASSPORTS TO KEY HONG KONG RESIDENTS BEFORE 1997. AN IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN IS REPORTED TO HAVE SAID THAT CANADA HAS TOLD BRITISH OFFICIALS DURING DISCUSSIONS MONTHS AGO THAT SUCH A PROPOSAL WAS UNACCEPTABLE. THE GLOBE AND MAIL CARRIED AN ARTICLE UNDER THE HEADING QUOTE CANADA NOT CHANGING HONG KONG POLICY UNQUOTE. THE ARTICLE SAID THAT CANADA HAD NO PLANS TO OFFER SPECIAL CITIZENSHIP OR
HIGHER IMMIGRATION QUOTAS TO HONG KONG CITIZENS AND QUOTED AN EXTERNAL AFFAIRS SPOKESMAN AS SAYING THAT A CHANGE IN THE CURRENT POLICY WAS NOT PLANNED.
AD
4. WE TOOK ACTION THIS MORNING WITH THE PRIVY COUNCIL OFFICE THE DEA TO UNDERLINE OUR DISAPPOINTMENT AT THE UNHELPFUL TONE OF THE PRESS REPORTING NOT LEAST IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT THE BALL WAS
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CONFIDENTIAL
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