CONFIDENTIAL
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CONFIDENTIAL
FM UKREP JLG HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 463
OF 17094OZ SEPTEMBER 91
L
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, HONG KONG
ED
INFO ROUTINE OTTAWA, CANBERRA, WELLINGTON, SINGAPORE, HARARE INFO ROUTINE ISLAMABAD
El
YOUR TELNO 1658 : CHOGM COMMUNIQUE : HONG KONG
1.
THE PARAGRAPH ON HONG KONG IN THE 1989 COMMUNIQUE WAS CENTRAL TO THE CHINESE OBSESSION WITH THE INTERNATIONALISATION ISSUE AFTER TIANANMEN. WHILE THIS WAS LARGELY IRRATIONAL IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN REAL IN CHINESE MINDS. I DO NOT REALLY THINK THAT REAWAKENING IT AT THIS STAGE WOULD BE IN OUR INTERESTS. WE COULD ON PAST EXPERIENCE PROBABLY RELY ON THE PAKISTANIS, IF NOT OTHERS, TO TELL THE CHINESE OF ANY EFFORTS WE MADE AT CHOGM TO GET THE SUBJECT INCLUDED.
2.
I WOULD THINK IT BETTER THEREFORE IF ALL REFERENCES TO HONG KONG COULD BE OMITTED FROM THE COMMUNIQUE. IF ACCUSED OF MAKING A CONCESSION TO THE CHINESE WE COULD SIMPLY SAY THAT FOLLOWING THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO CHINA, AT WHICH BOTH SIDES REAFFIRMED THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE JOINT DECLARATION AND IMPROVED CO-OPERATION OVER HONG KONG, WE SAW NO NEED FOR A REFERENCE IN THE CHOGM COMMUNIQUE.
3. IF OTHER PARTIES PRESSED FOR THE INCLUSION OF HONG KONG, THESE OBJECTIONS WOULD BE RATHER LESSENED. I SEE NO PARTICULAR PROBLEMS WITH THE FORMULA SUGGESTED IN PARA 2 OF TUR.
GALSWORTHY
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