TNAG-2166-FCO40-3101-Diplomatic-representation-of-China-in-Hong-Kong-New-China-Ne-1990 — Page 4

CONFIDENTIAL

103604

MDAN 9927

KONG. BUT IT WAS FOR HKG TO DETERMINE NCNA'S FORMAL STATUS IN THE TERRITORY : NCNA AND ITS STAFF DID NOT FEATURE IN THE HONG KONG CONSULAR LIST AND HKG COULD NOT, THEREFORE, CLAIM THAT NCNA HAD DIPLOMATIC OR CONSULAR STATUS.

4. EMPHASISING THAT HE WAS SPEAKING PERSONALLY, PIGOTT ADDED THAT CHINA WOULD SURELY NOT WANT NCNA OR ITS STAFF TO BE SEEN AS

ENJOYING CONSULAR OR DIPLOMATIC STATUS IN HONG KONG SINCE THIS WOULD CARRY IMPLICATIONS WHICH, WE THOUGHT, WOULD BE QUITE UNWELCOME TO THE CHINESE SIDE. CHENG, WHO HAD CLEARLY BEEN GIVEN NO MANDATE TO ENTER INTO A DISCUSSION, SAID SIMPLY 'YES''.

COMMENT.

5. THE CHINESE ARE MAKING HEAVY WEATHER OF THIS AND SEEM NOT TO

HAVE THOUGHT THE MATTER THROUGH PROPERLY. WE UNDERSTAND THAT HKG

ARE CONTENT TO MODIFY THEIR LINE AS THE MFA PROPOSE.

6. IF HKG ARE ASKED DIRECTLY WHETHER NCNA AND/OR ITS STAFF ENJOY CONSULAR OR DIPLOMATIC STATUS, WE SUGGEST THE REPLY MIGHT BE : ''NEITHER THE NCNA NOR MEMBERS OF ITS STAFF APPEAR ON THE CONSULAR LIST''.

COATES

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

58

.HONG KONG AGREEMENT

.(RESTRICTED)

LIMITED

HKD

HD/FED

NEWS D

ADDITIONAL

3

MS FOAKES LEGAL ADVISERS

MS BARRETT LEGAL ADVISERS NNNN

DISTRIBUTION

61

PUSD

RAD

PS/LORD CAITHNESS

PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD

MR MCLAREN

MR BURNS

MR FIFOOT LEGAL ADVISERS

PAGE

2

CONFIDENTIAL