TNAG-2348-FCO40-3417-Political-relations-between-Hong-Kong--China-and-Canada-1991 — Page 30

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RESTRICTED

FM WASHINGTON

TO TELELETTER FCO

TELELETTER NFR

OF 19233OZ JULY 91

RESTRICTED

HKD 021

RECEIVED A

29 JUL 1991

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

W22/

верноттай

Mclau!

Morris

TRY

#ker

TAN

(5)

110355

MDTTAN 8420

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AND TO TELELETTER HONG KONG, PEKING, OTTAWA, UKREP JLG HONG KONG AND TO TELELETTER TOKYO, CANBERRA SINGAPORE

FROM:

SD PATTISON, WASHINGTON

FOLLOWING FOR:

COPIED TO:

A PAUL ESQ, HONG KONG DEPT, FCO CHANCERIES: HONG KONG

PEKING

OTTAWA

UKREP JLG HONG KONG

ΤΟΚΥΟ

CANBERRA

SINGAPORE

FCO TELNO 312 TO OTTAWA: INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR HONG KONG

1. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY RECENTLY TO DISCUSS AMERICAN POLICY TOWARDS HONG KONG WITH PATRICK FREEMAN, THE HONG KONG DESK OFFICER AT STATE. I TOLD HIM IN CONFIDENCE WHAT THE CANADIANS WERE DOING.

2. HE SAID THAT, ALTHOUGH THE AMERICANS HAD NOT PACKAGED THEIR MEASURES AS A CONFIDENCE-BUILDING GESTURE FOR HONG KONG, THEY WERE, IN FACT, PROBABLY DOING JUST AS MUCH AS THE CANADIANS. THEY HAD BEGUN NEGOTIATIONS WITH HONG KONG LEGAL ADVISORS ON AIR SERVICES, AND ON EXTRADITION ARRANGEMENTS. IN THE MARGINS OF THOSE TALKS BOTH SIDES HAD AGREED TO CONSIDER, IN DUE COURSE, A BILATERAL INVESTMENT TREATY, AND AN MLAT. NO DOUBT OTHER AREAS OF BILATERAL COOPERATION WOULD FOLLOW.

3=

FREEMAN CONFIRMED THAT AMERICAN POLICY WAS TO SUPPORT HONG KONG'S MEMBERSHIP OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS. THEY WERE IN FAVOUR OF HONG KONG, TAIWAN AND THE PRC BECOMING MEMBERS OF APEC.

4 MORE GENERALLY, FREEMAN SAID THAT CONGRESS WERE SHOWING INCREASING INTEREST IN THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. THE 1990 US IMMIGRATION ACT CONTAINED UNIQUE PROVISIONS FOR HONG KONG DESIGNED TO MAINTAIN CONFIDENCE IN THE TERRITORY UP TO AND AFTER 1997. THE

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