TNAG-2178-FCO40-3115-Hong-Kong-nationality-international-support-1990 — Page 188

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON

TELNO 87

OF 12150OZ JANUARY 90

CONFIDENTIAL

нко 3496

VESELPED IN REESTRY DISTB 1990

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

13

012672 MDHOAN 1083

REGISTRY

AND TO IMMEDIATE OTTAWA, CANBERRA, WELL INSON TRAVO ACHON Jake's AND TO IMMEDIATE OSLO, STOCKHOLM, SINGAPORE, HONG KONG INFO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG, KUALA LUMPUR BANGKOK

FROM HKD

788

(789)

89/HED 340/8

OUR TELNOS 2364 AND 2365 TO WASHINGTON: HONG KONG: INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT

1.

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE LOBBYING ACTION ALREADY TAKEN BY POSTS IN RESPONSE TO TURS

2. IN THE LIGHT OF THE RESPONSE WE HAVE RECEIVED SO FAR, MINISTERS HAVE CONCLUDED THAT WE SHOULD CONDUCT FURTHER LOBBYING IN ORDER TO EMPHASISE THAT WE ARE NOT SIMPLY MAKING POLITE

ENQUIRIES BUT THAT WE ATTACH CONSIDERABLE IMPORTANCE TO THIS PROBLEM AND THAT OTHERS WHO BENEFIT FROM BUSINESS FROM HONG KONG SHOULD TAKE IT SERIOUSLY TOO. MINISTERS PROPOSE TO LOBBY THEIR OPPOSITE NUMBERS WHENEVER SUITABLE BILATERAL OR MULTILATERAL OPPORTUNITIES ARISE. WE WOULD THEREFORE BE GRATEFUL IF HEADS OF MISSION WHO HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO WOULD NOW APPROACH THEIR HOST GOVERNMENTS AT SENIOR, AND PREFERABLY MINISTERIAL LEVEL, TO REINFORCE THE LOBBYING ACTION ALREADY TAKEN AT WORKING LEVEL. 3. FOR WASHINGTON: CONGRESSMAN SOLARZ (CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS SUB-COMMITTEE ON EAST ASIA AND THE PACIFIC) TOLD THE SECRETARY OF STATE ON 9 JANUARY THAT HE THOUGHT LEGISLATIVE

ACTION COULD BE TAKEN BY THE END OF THIS YEAR AND THAT THERE WAS A REALISTIC POSSIBILITY THAT ABOUT 20,000 VISAS A YEAR - VALID UP TO 2007 MIGHT BE

MADE AVAILABLE FOR HONG KONG PEOPLE THEREAFTER. SOLARZ SAID THAT IN ORDER TO WIN POLITICAL SUPPORT ON THE HILL IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IF WE COULD FIND WAYS TO MAKE CLEAR THAT THE APPROACH HE WAS ADVOCATING WAS PART OF AN INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE TO MEET THE

CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG POST-TIANANMEN. IT WOULD BE USEFUL IF A BRITISH OFFICIAL COULD TESTIFY BEFORE HIS SUB-COMMITTEE AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME IN ORDER TO DESCRIBE WHAT WE WERE DOING AND WHAT THE RESPONSE HAD BEEN FROM HERE. THE SECRETARY OF STATE SAID THAT HE WAS KEEN TO DO THIS IF AT ALL POSSIBLE PROVIDED OUR RULES ALLOWED.

4. WE WOULD WELCOME YOUR VIEWS ON WHETHER IT IS NORMAL PRACTICE

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CONFIDENTIAL