TNAG-2248-FCO40-3231-Trade-investment-conferences-concerning-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 57

CONFIDENTIAL

151076

MDTTAN 2973

COMMITTED TO TAKING AN ON-GOING INTEREST IN HONG KONG. THE GROUP WILL GET INTO GEAR AT A TIME WHEN JAPAN WILL PROGRESSIVELY TAKE MORE INTEREST IN HONG KONG AS 1997 APPROACHES. IN A WAY IT MIGHT BE PREFERABLE FOR INITIATIVES OF THIS SORT TO COME FROM THEM RATHER

THAN HASHIMOTO.

4

NONE OF THIS IS TO SUGGEST THAT EITHER THE IDEA ITSELF OR THE

INVOLVEMENT OF JAPANESE GOVERNMENT MINISTERS IN SOMETHING OF THIS SORT IS AT ALL BAD. HASHIMOTO'S ORIGINAL THOUGHTS WERE

CONCENTRATING MORE ON GOVERNMENTAL INTEREST AND PARTICIPATION THAN

QUOTE A PRIVATE SECTOR LED EVENT UNQUOTE. BUT THIS DOES NOT MEAN

THAT IN A DIFFERENT SITUATION AND WITH DIFFERENT AIMS AND

PRIORITIES WE SHOULD NOT LAUNCH ON THE JAPANESE THE IDEA OF SUCH A

PRIVATE SECTOR LED EVENT.

5. IN SHORT, THERE SHOULD EITHER BE A CHANGE OF GEAR AND PEOPLE INVOLVED AT THIS END OR WE SHOULD FOR THE TIME BEING PUT THE IDEA ON THE BACK BURNER. THE DECISION ON THIS SEEMS TO US TO DEPEND VERY MUCH ON HONG KONG'S NEEDS. THE IMPLICATION OF PARA 4 OF FCO TUR IS THAT WE SHOULD HOLD OUR HORSES UNTIL NEARER TO 1997, BUT WE SHOULD WELCOME FURTHER GUIDANCE IN THE LIGHT OF THE ABOVE THOUGHTS.

SIGNED G H FRY

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