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102416
MDLOAN 3681
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HKB 290 /
1
ва
OF 161415Z NOVEMBER 90
G
RESTRICTED
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELNO 2183
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKRERJLG HONG KONG
TOP COPY Q DIST?
(46)
(47
56
572:
YOUR TELNOS 2910 AND 3303 AND PEKING TELNO 1372: GERMAN CULTURAL
INSTITUTIONS IN HONG KONG: CULTURAL AGREEMENT
1.
THE GERMAN EMBASSY HERE HAVE CONFIRMED THAT THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO RENEW ITS CULTURAL AGREEMENT WITH THE PRC
FOLLOWING REUNIFICATION.
2.
THE PRACTICAL BENEFITS TO HONG KONG OF A SEPARATE AGREEMENT WITH GERMANY CONTINUING AFTER 1997 WOULD DEPEND ON WHAT ELEMENTS YOU SOUGHT TO INCLUDE IN IT. THE BENEFITS OF SUCH AGREEMENTS NORMALLY COVER SUCH MATTERS AS SCHOLARSHIPS, CULTURAL AND ACADEMIC EXCHANGES ETC. ON THE FACE OF IT, WE WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO PERSUADE THE CHINESE OF THESE PRACTICAL BENEFITS, GIVEN THAT THEY PRESUMABLY HAVE SEEN SIMILAR ADVANTAGES IN THEIR OWN AGREEMENT WITH THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT.
3. IT SEEMS TO US, HOWEVER, THAT IT WOULD BE IN HONG KONG'S WIDER INTERESTS TO SIGN SUCH AN AGREEMENT. THIS WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH YOUR POLICY OF ESTABLISHING A NETWORK OF CULTURAL AND OTHER LINKS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES, IN ORDER TO ENHANCE HONG KONG'S INTERNATIONAL STATUS IN THOSE AREAS WHICH FALL WITHIN HONG KONG'S OWN AUTONOMY.
4. FOR THESE REASONS, WE ARE INCLINED TO SEE ADVANTAGE IN YOUR TAKING UP THE GERMAN SUGGESTION OF A CULTURAL AGREEMENT, PARTICULARLY IF THIS IS THEIR PREFERRED MODE OF CONDUCTING CULTURAL ACTIVITIES.
5. SUBJECT TO YOUR FURTHER VIEWS, THEREFORE, WE PROPOSE TO REPLY TO THE GERMAN EMBASSY TO THE EFFECT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THIS GERMAN APPROACH FURTHER, AND THAT THE APPROPRIATE CHANNEL FOR THIS WOULD BE FOR THE GERMAN CONSULATE IN HONG KONG TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES. IF YOU AGREE, PERHAPS YOU COULD SUGGEST THE NAME OF THE PERSON WITH WHOM THE GERMAN CONSULATE SHOULD MAKE CONTACT.
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