TNAG-2225-FCO40-3196-Political-relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Australia-1991 — Page 74

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AND INTELLIGENCE), AND INCLUDING A MOD UNDER-SECRETARY, THE HEADS OF ACDD AND SCD AND THE ASSISTANT IN DEFENCE DEPARTMENT. WE DO NOT SEE ANY NEED FOR SUCH CONCENTRATION ON ARMS CONTROL AND RELATED MATTERS THIS TIME, NOT LEAST BECAUSE THE SPECIALISTS ON BOTH SIDES HAVE BEEN IN PRETTY REGULAR DIRECT CONTACT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, BUT ALSO BECAUSE THE AUSTRALIANS ARE NOT THAT KEEN ON THE ''MIL'' SIDE OF THINGS IN TALKS OF THIS SORT, AND PREFER TO CALL THEM ''POLITICAL'' DISCUSSIONS.

5. THIS LEADS ON TO CONSIDERATION OF WHAT THE MAIN THRUST OF

THE DISCUSSION SHOULD BE THIS TIME. HERE I SHOULD SAY THAT

WHILE WE AGREE THAT A PART OF THE AGENDA MIGHT BE BUILT AROUND ANDREW BURNS' AREA OF INTEREST, WE STRONGLY DOUBT WHETHER THIS COULD OR SHOULD TAKE UP MORE THAT 50 PER CENT OF THE TIME. FOR US, OBVIOUSLY, THERE IS MERIT IN TRYING TO TAP INTO AUSTRALIAN EXPERTISE IN THE ASIA/PACIFIC. BUT THE AUSTRALIANS FOR THEIR PART WILL WISH TO HEAR OUR VIEWS ON SUCH QUESTIONS AS THE FUTURE OF THE MIDDLE EAST POST GULF CRISIS, DEVELOPMENTS IN EUROPE, THE FUTURE OF NATO, CSCE, AND PROSPECTS FOR POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC UNION. WE THEREFORE THINK THAT A TEAM

OF ONLY TWO IS FAR TOO RESTRICTIVE. SO MUCH SO THAT THE AUSTRALIANS MIGHT EVEN THINK THE TALKS A WASTE OF TIME, AND HOPE THAT IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO ASSEMBLE A TEAM THAT COULD ADEQUATELY COVER A BROADER AGENDA. YOU WILL REMEMBER THE AUSTRALIAN COOMENT FOLLOWING THE LAST POL/MIL TALKS IN CANBERRA, TO THE EFFECT THAT ON A NUMBER OF ISSUES THERE WAS LITTLE SCOPE FOR DIALOGUE BECAUSE OF THE NARROW EXPERTISE ON THE UK SIDE.

6. AS FOR THE AGENDA, I THINK WE SHOULD AIM TO COVER THE FOLLOWING:

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ASIA/PACIFIC SECURITY IN GENERAL, INCLUDING AUSTRALIAN IDEAS FOR COOPERATION IN THE REGION (''CSCA' AND ALL THAT), INCIPIENT RIVALARIES AND SOURCES OF TENSION.

JAPAN'S ROLE IN BOTH THE ASIA/PACIFIC AND THE WIDER

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.

NORTH/EAST ASIA (KOREA, NORTHERN TERRITORIES).

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CHINA AND PROSPECTS FOR HONG KONG.

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