TNAG-2178-FCO40-3115-Hong-Kong-nationality-international-support-1990 — Page 176

CONFIDENTIAL

FM BANGKOK

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 47

OF 160425Z JANUARY 90

CONFIDENTIAL

Ако

HICD 34011

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

24 FEB 1990

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY

Action Taken

18

017461

MDLIAN 0533

TOCOPY

DIST ?

INFO PRIORITY BTC HONG KONG, OTTAWA, TOKYO, WELLING U CN INFO PRIORITY CANBERRA, KUALA LUMPUR, SINGAPORE, EC POSTS INFO PRIORITY OSLO, STOCKHOLM

788) банко 3405

13

FCO TELNOS 2364 AND 87 TO WASHINGTON: HONG KONG

INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT

SUMMARY

1. THAI MINISTER MAKES REASONABLE AND SYMPATHETIC NOISES

BUT AVOIDS ANY PROMISES.

DETAIL

788) банко 3498

2. I CALLED ON 15 JANUARY ON KORN DABBARANSI, MINISTER IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE WITH GENERAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR INVESTMENT POLICY AND INCENTIVES AND SPOKE AS INSTRUCTED IN PARA 3 OF FCO TELNO 2364. I LEFT BEHIND A COPY OF MY SPEAKING NOTES.

3. KORN SAID THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO HELP AND WOULD HAVE A WORD WITH HIS COLLEAGUES IN THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. HE HAD VISITED HONG KONG HIMSELF, KNEW THE PROBLEMS AND WAS CONCERNED ABOUT ITS FUTURE. HE SIMPLY HAD NO IDEA WHAT CHINA'S LEADERSHIP WAS PLANNING FOR HONG KONG BUT WAS SUSPICIOUS OF THEIR MOTIVES. HE UNDERSTOOD THE CARE AND CONSIDERATION BEHIND OUR DECISION BUT WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY CONVINCED THAT CONFERRING BRITISH CITIZENSHIP ON 50,000 HONG KONGERS WOULD MAKE THEM MORE LIKELY TO STAY. I SAID THAT THIS WAS A MATTER OF JUDGEMENT. WE WERE CERTAIN THAT THE GENERAL CONFIDENCE OF THE COLONY WOULD BE ENHANCED BY OUR ACTION. AS FOR THE PRC, IT COULD ONLY HELP IN THE DIFFICULT PERIOD LEADING UP TO 1997

IF ALL OF US TOOK WHAT MEASURES WE COULD TO KEEP HONG KOND

AQ A DYNAMIC INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL FORCE IN THE REGION.

4. I WENT ON TO SAY THAT, WHATEVER ACTION THE THAI GOVERNMENT MIGHT SEE ITS WAY TO TAKING, I HOPED THEY WOULD NOT TAKE STEPS TO WOO CAPITAL OR PERSONNEL AWAY FROM THE COLONY. KORN SAID

1

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