CONFIDENTIAL
FM ROME
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 220
OF 23160OZ MARCH 90
CONFIDENTIAL
AMCO 34011
Ако
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY.
27 MAR 1990.
132
117007
MDHIAN 2671
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
REGISTRY
PA
Action Taken
INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON, HONG KONG, OTHER EC POSTS
INFO SAVING MILAN
YOUR TELNO 605 TO HONG KONG: INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT
SUMMARY
1. THE ITALIANS AGREE ON THE NEED FOR CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURES AND ARE LOOKING URGENTLY AT POSSIBLE OPTIONS. EARLY DECISION EXPECTED.
DETAIL
2. THE MINISTER CALLED TODAY ON FERRI, HEAD OF THE MFA ASIA DEPARTMENT, TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER ITALIAN THINKING HAD DEVELOPED FURTHER SINCE MY APPROACH TO THE POLITICAL DIRECTOR ON 15 JANUARY (MY TELNO 32). WOOD REITERATED THE IMPORTANCE WE ATTACH TO HELPING THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO MAINTAIN CONFIDENCE IN THEIR FUTURE POST-1997, AND OUR HOPE THAT OTHER COUNTRIES WITH ECONOMIC INTERESTS IN HONG KONG WOULD SOON TAKE WHATEVER PRACTICAL STEPS
THEY COULD TO THIS END.
3. FERRI SAID THAT SINCE WE HAD LAST SPOKEN, AND IN THE WAKE OF THE FOREIGN MINISTER'S VISIT TO HONG KONG AT CHRISTMAS, THE FOREIGN MINISTRY HAD BEEN GIVING A GREAT DEAL OF THOUGHT TO THIS MATTER.
FOREIGN MINISTER DE MICHELIS WAS TAKING A PERSONAL INTEREST AND HAD
ASKED FOR IDEAS. THERE HAD BEEN PROPOSALS FROM ITALIAN COMPANIES IN HONG KONG AND FROM THE ITALIAN CONSUL GENERAL. ON INSTRUCTIONS FROM DD PBQLXH B C JNV IN FYNNG, CHAIRED BY HIS CHEF DE CABINET, HAD BEEN CALLED FOR NEXT MONDAY, 26 MARCH, TO LOOK AT POSSIBLE OPTIONS AND RECOMMEND THE BEST WAY FORWARD.
4. FERRI SAID THE ADVICE WHICH HE HAD SUBMITTED WAS THAT LOCAL EMPLOYEES OF ITALIAN COMPANIES IN HONG KONG, WHO TOTALLED SEVERAL HUNDRED, SHOULD BE ISSUED WITH LONG TERM VISAS WHICH WOULD GIVE THEM THE RIGHT, IF THE NEED AROSE, OF RESIDENCE IN ITALY. THIS DEVICE WAS NOT NECESSARILY IDEAL BUT IT WOULD BE RELATIVELY EASY TO ADMINISTER AND WOULD, HE BELIEVED, GIVE ENCOURAGEMENT NOT ONLY TO HONG KONG WORKFORCE BUT ALSO TO THE ITALIAN COMPANIES EMPLOYING
THEM. HE FEARED THAT ANY APPROACH WHICH INVOLVED THE GRANTING OF
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CONFIDENTIAL
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