CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 222
OF 311745Z JANUARY 91
INFO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
19
000420 MDHOAN 6941
HKB 020 13
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM PAUL, HKD PLEASE PASS TO PS/LORD CAITHNESS
(VISITING)
GULF BURDEN SHARING: PRESS LINE FOR HONG KONG
1.
IN VIEW OF THE INTENSE INTEREST HERE IN BURDEN SHARING, WE ARE BEING INCREASINGLY ASKED BY THE LONDON BASED HONG KONG PRESS WHETHER HMG HAS ASKED HONG KONG FOR A CONTRIBUTION. WE HAVE BEEN TAKING THE LINE THAT THIS IS A MATTER FOR HKG AND THAT NO FORMAL REQUEST HAS BEEN MADE COUR TELNO 80). BUT THE FACT THAT WE ARE TALKING TO OUR PARTNERS AND FRIENDS ABOUT THIS IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE HERE AND OUR OLD LINE ON HONG KONG NOW SOUNDS UNCONVINCING.
2.
NEWS DEPARTMENT ARE THEREFORE TAKING THE LINE THAT WE ARE TALKING TO OUR PARTNERS AND FRIENDS ABOUT THIS. IF PRESSED, THEY ARE SAYING THAT ''WE ARE NOT PREPARED TO NAME GOVERNMENTS TO WHICH WE ARE TALKING NOR AMOUNTS WHICH MAY BE BEING DISCUSSED. THERE IS NO LIST. PARTNERS ETC) AS APPROPRIATE. GOVERNMENTS TO ANNOUNCE TO THE PRESS THE MEASURES THEY HAVE TAKEN, IF THEY WISH''.
3.
THE SUBJECT WILL BE RAISED (WITH IT IS FOR THE CONTRIBUTING
GRATEFUL FOR CONFIRMATION THAT LORD CAITHNESS WILL BE TAKING A SIMILAR LINE WITH THE HONG KONG PRESS ON 1 FEBRUARY, SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT WE ARE CONSISTENT. (UNLESS YOU ADVISE TO THE CONTRARY, WE WOULD STILL NOT/NOT CONFIRM OR DENY THAT HONG KONG HAD BEEN ASKED FOR A CONTRIBUTION.>
HURD
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