TNAG-2241-FCO40-3222-Asia-Pacific-Economic-Cooperation-(APEC)-1991 — Page 19

RESTRICTED

RESTRICTED

FM SEOUL

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 530

OF 110742Z NOVEMBER 91

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG

36

FCO TELNO 416: APEC AND HONG KONG

152502 MDHIAN 1357

Müz 090/2

बबर

W

1. THE APEC MINISTERIAL MEETING BEGINS HERE IN SEOUL TOMORROW, TUESDAY 12 NOVEMBER. IT IS A MAJOR EVENT FOR THE KOREAN

GOVERNMENT, BOTH IN TERMS OF THEIR ACTING AS HOSTS FOR THIS MEETING AND BECAUSE OF THE IMPORTANCE WHICH THEY ATTACH TO APEC AS PROVIDING A PLATFORM FOR THEIR FUTURE ROLE IN ASIA. IN THE ABSENCE OF INSTRUCTIONS TO THE CONTRARY, WE HAVE NOT (NOT) SOUGHT TO ASSERT ANY PARTICULAR ROLE FOR THIS EMBASSY IN SUPPORT OF THE HONG KONG DELEGATION. NOR HAVE WE BEEN ASKED TO DO SO BY THE KOREANS

SEMI-COLON NOR HAVE THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES MADE ANY SUCH

REQUESTS.

2. WE WILL BE SENDING A CONVENTIONAL REPORTING TELEGRAM ON APEC IN DUE COURSE. BUT IF WE ARE EXPECTED TO TAKE A MORE PROACTIVE PART, IT IS PROBABLY NOW TOO LATE, GIVEN ALL THE DETAILED ORGANISATION FOR THE CONFERENCE, FOR US TO PERSUADE THE KOREAN AUTHORITIES TO GIVE THIS EMBASSY SOME SPECIAL ROLE.

WRIGHT

YYYY

MAIN

77

.ASIA/PACIFIC ECONOMIC

LIMITED

ERD

ECONOMIC ADVISERS

ECD (E)

FED

HKD

NAD

DISTRIBUTION

82

SPD

PS

PAGE

PS/LORD CAITHNESS

PS/MR GAREL-JONES

MR BAYNE

SIR J COLES

MR BEAMISH

MR BURNS

1

RESTRICTED