TNAG-2346-FCO40-3415-Political-relations-between-Hong-Kong--Japan-and-China-1991 — Page 92

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO ROUTINE HONG KONG TELNO 1443

CONFIDENTIAL

24

160331

MDLOAN 9819

HKD 7/21/1

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OF 061035Z AUG 91

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INFO ROUTINE TOKYO

20 AUG 19%

PA

OUR TELNO 312:

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INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT: JAPAN/HONG KONG

1 FOLLOWING RECEIPT OF THE CANADIAN PAPER ON CONFIDENCE-BOOSTING MEASURES, OUR EMBASSY IN TOKYO HAVE GIVEN SOME THOUGHT AS TO FURTHER HELP THE JAPANESE MAY BE ABLE TO GIVE (APART FROM THEIR POLITICAL INFLUENCE IN PEKING). THEY POINT OUT THAT THERE IS NO PROSPECT OF ANY SPECIFIC NATIONALITY / IMMIGRATION SCHEME BUT THE JAPANESE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP IN OTHER WAYS. FOR EXAMPLE:

2.

(I) A BILATERAL DRUG-TRAFFICKING AGREEMENT, (II) AN IPPA OR

(III) AN ECONOMIC/TRADE AGREEMENT.

ON (I) YOU ALREADY HAVE JAPAN ON YOUR LIST OF PRIORITY

JURISDICTIONS FOR OPENING NEGOTIATIONS (YOUR SITREP OF 31

MAY). THERE COULD BE SOME ADVANTAGE IN TOKYO STARTING TO LOBBY THE JAPANESE NOW: RELEVANT JAPANESE LEGISLATION IS

BEFORE THE DIET AND IS LIKELY TO BE PASSED EARLY NEXT YEAR. ON (II) WE WOULD OF COURSE NEED TO CONSULT THE CHINESE BEFORE

ENTERING NEGOTIATIONS SINCE JAPAN IS NOT ON THE LIST OF COUNTRIES AGREED SO FAR, BUT IT MIGHT BE WORTH ENCOURAGING THE JAPANESE TO APPROACH THE CHINESE SEPARATELY TO UNDERLINE

THE NEED FOR SUCH AN AGREEMENT. ON (III) AN AGREEMENT MIGHT

NOT BE APPROPRIATE BUT THERE MAY BE SCOPE FOR CLOSER ECONOMIC

AND TRADE TIES EXPANDING ON THE WORK OF THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.

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3. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHETHER THESE ARE WORTH

PURSUING OR FOR ANY OTHER IDEAS YOU MIGHT HAVE.

CHALKER

YYYY

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