TNAG-2291-FCO40-3300-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-Taiwan-1991 — Page 34

1 August 1991

A Carter Esq Deputy Governor GIBRALTAR

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нисого/з

Foreign & Commonwealth

Office

London SWIA 2AH

Telephone: 071-

270-2965

prá Taiwan

Your Andrew,

PROPOSAL TO OPEN GIBRALTAR INFORMATION BUREAU IN TAIWAN

1. Mike Hill wrote to Nick Carter about this on 17 July. We have consulted FED who have commented as attached.

In

2. Although we should not necessarily ask Bossano to drop the idea altogether, the proposal in its present form does not come close to meeting our requirements. Our bottom line is that any Gibraltar Information Bureau in Taiwan will have to be legally and presentationally distinct from the Gibraltar Government; and any Taiwan office in Gibraltar must similarly be legally and presentationally distinct from the authorities in Taiwan. particular, any name including the words "Republic of China unacceptable. Our relations with China are too important and too sensitive to risk a row over this; and the Chinese would certainly protest in very strong terms over any departure by us from the terms of the 1972 Joint Communique. I would be grateful if you would state this in terms to Bossano so that there is no doubt about our position.

3. On the assumption however that Bossano will remain determined to proceed we agree that his proposed letter of appointment to Mr Hao-Chun Tsai is unacceptable.

unacceptable. Any such letter should avoid language which states or implies recognition of the "ROC" or that official presences are to be established in Taiwan or Gibraltar. The designation "ROC" is best avoided altogether in favour of "Taiwan". Mike Hill's proposed redraft seems basically fine. Ideally we should like Bossano to avoid giving a commitment to visit Taiwan to open the Bureau. We should particularly wish him to avoid the "double tenth" (ie 10 October) which will see high profile celebrations in Taiwan; and we should like him to avoid unhelpful publicity such as references to, or inferences about Gibraltar Government relations with Taiwan etc. We should be grateful if you would therefore propose language along the lines suggested in paragraph 5 of FED's minute. We recognise however that we are not in a position to insist that Bossano avoid any visit to Taiwan and we would not therefore make this a sticking point. But we would expect him to take account of our concerns about publicity and

G79 ACN

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