RESTRICTED
FM TOKYO
TO TELELETTER FCO
TELELETTER
OF 180825Z DECEMBER 91
RESTRICTED
HKD 021/1
INFO TELELETTER FCO, HONG KONG, PEKING
FROM G H FRY, HEAD OF CHANCERY, TOKYO
PS/PUS, FCO
ΤΟ
CC
H DAVIES ESQ, FED, FCO
HONG KONG DEPT, FCO
POLITICAL ADVISER, HONG KONG
CHANCERY, PEKING
JAPAN/HONG KONG
1.
Jm
на
124420
MOTTAN 9066
Apogers for 17/1
Pls arrangeber
राड
copies to HKD
Desic offices ad
above.
Mr
Mavis gets
"Top" copy.
DURING HIS TALKS HERE ON 13 DECEMBER THE PUS DISCUSSED HONG KONG AND CHINA WITH HIS JAPANESE COUNTERPART.
2.
ITS
THE PUS BEGAN BY NOTING THAT THE UK AND CHINA HAD HAD SIMILAR POLICIES OF KEEPING DIALOGUE GOING WITH THE CHINESE. HE MENTIONED THE HIGH LEVEL VISITS IN BOTH DIRECTIONS BETWEEN LONDON AND PEKING AND THE AGREEMENT ON SIX MONTHLY MEETINGS BETWEEN FOREIGN MINISTERS. THE UK DIFFERED FROM OTHER EUROPEANS BECAUSE OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG. ALTHOUGH AFTER THE AIRPORT AGREEMENT THERE HAD BEEN A MOMENT OF RELAXATION, CHINA'S SUSPICIONS OF BRITISH INTENTIONS CONTINUE TO VERGE ON PARANOIA. WE HAD TO. MAKE A MAJOR EFFORT TO EXPLAIN OUR OBJECTIVES. THE FUTURE OF COURSE DEPENDED GREATLY ON INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS IN CHINA. AT PRESENT THERE SEEMS TO BE A KIND OF POLITICAL PARALYSIS IN PEKING IN WHICH MAJOR DECISIONS WERE BEING POSTPONED. THIS LED THE CHINESE TO STICK TO THEIR STANDARD LINES ON HONG KONG. ON THE OTHER HAND THE LEGCO ELECTIONS MEANT THAT HONG KONG ITSELF WAS CHANGING. THE GOVERNMENT NOW HAD TO OPERATE WITH PARLIAMENTARY OPPOSITION. THE MORE MARTIN LEE EXPRESSED OPPOSITION TO GOVERNMENT POLICY, THE MORE SUSPICIOUS THE CHINESE WERE LIKELY TO BECOME. DID NOT WANT TO PAINT TOO GLOOMY A PICTURE. THERE HAD BEEN PROGRESS PARTICULARLY ON THE AIRPORT. WE WELCOMED JAPAN'S COMMERCIAL PRESENCE AND POLITICAL SUPPORT AND HOPED THAT IT WOULD CONTINUE TO STRESS TO THE CHINESE THAT THEIR ACTIONS AND STATEMENTS HAD AN IMPACT ON BUSINESS CONFIDENCE. WE HOPED ALSO THAT JAPAN WOULD CONTINUE TO APPOINT CONSULS-GENERAL WHO WERE OF TOP QUALITY.
3=
OWADA NOTED THAT THIS WAS A SLIGHLY MORE PESSIMISTIC ACCOUNT
1
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