TNAG-2243-FCO40-3224-Most-favoured-nation-status-for-China-impact-on-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 117

Classification

CONFIDENTIAL

7

ZCZ C

CONFIDENTIAL

OUT TELEGRAM

Caveat

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE OTTAWA

TELNO

OF 211030Z MAY 91

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, PEKING, WASHINGTON

HKD

cecence

IMMEDIATE

MESSAGE TO THE CANADIAN FOREIGN MINISTER

1. The following is the text of a personal message from me to the Canadian Foreign Minister. Please arrange for it to be delivered to coincide with Prime Minister Mulroney's visit to

Hong Kong (22-25 May).

BEGINS

I know that your Prime Minister will shortly be visiting Hong Kong. I therefore wanted to tell you about the state of our relations with China over Hong Kong.

In the remaining years of British administration in Hong Kong we will need to intensify our cooperation with China over Hong Kong, in order to bring about a smooth transition in 1997. This is stipulated in the Sino-British Joint Declaration. That agreement also stipulates that Britain will be responsible for the administration of Hong Kong until 30 June 1997.

These considerations have been reflected in our discussions with

Dept

PJYAUS/CC

HKD

Despaton by:

use priv

Catomword

Drafted by (Block capitals)

AR PAUL

Teleonone no

2647

Initials

MGW

Cate/time

221130 2

Comcen reference

Telegram number

Pented in the UK for HMSO 1.91 Dc FCO3233 M 200 CON 56294

Processed by

STCCK No.C037B YFB6