TNAG-2178-FCO40-3115-Hong-Kong-nationality-international-support-1990 — Page 98

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON

TELNO 280

OF 07100OZ FEBRUARY 90

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG

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36

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116653

MDHOAN 2609

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

нко 34011

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

YOUR TELNOS 164 AND 214: HONG KONG: INTERNATIMEEBJ990RT

1.

DESK OFFICER

REGISTRY

MINISTERS HAVE ACCEPTED YOUR ADVICE INDETURS. PATHEY AWOMISOIKE TO RESPOND IN A POSITIVE WAY TO SOLARZES SUGGESTION OF A MEETING BETWEEN AN FCO OFFICIAL AND THE RELEVANT CONGRESSIONAL SUB-COMMITTEE, BUT THIS SHOULD BE ON A STRICTLY INFORMAL, OFF THE

RECORD BASIS.

2=

PLEASE THEREFORE APPROACH SOLARZ OR HIS OFFICE TO SAY:

(I) IT WOULD UNFORTUNATELY NOT BE POSSIBLE, FOR REASONS OF GENERAL PRINCIPLE, FOR AN FCO OFFICIAL TO GIVE FORMAL EVIDENCE TO HIS SUB-COMMITTEE.

(II) WE COULD HOWEVER PROVIDE, THROUGH THE EMBASSY, A LETTER SETTING OUT OUR GENERAL APPROACH TO THE QUOTE BRAIN DRAIN UNQUOTE PROBLEM AND ANSWERING ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS HE

MIGHT HAVE.

(III) IF IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, WE WOULD ALSO BE PREPARED TO SEND AN FCO OFFICIAL TO WASHINGTON TO GIVE AN INFORMAL, OFF-THE-RECORD BRIEFING TO THE SUB-COMMITTEE OUTSIDE THE

FORMAL HEARING.

3.

IT WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL IF THE EMBASSY COULD ESTABLISH THE LIKELY TIMING OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE'S DELIBERATIONS. WE COULD THEN CONSIDER, ASSUMING THE ANSWER TO (III) IS POSITIVE, WHO MIGHT BEST GO TO WASHINGTON.

4 -

MINISTERS HAVE ALSO ASKED US TO CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY OF GETTING A BACKBENCHER, SUCH AS DAVID HOWELL OR SIR PETER BLAKER, TO TESTIFY. YOU SHOULD NOT/NOT FLOAT THIS POSSIBILITY WITH SOLARZ AT THIS STAGE. BUT WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS

ON THIS IDEA.

HURD

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