TNAG-2348-FCO40-3417-Political-relations-between-Hong-Kong--China-and-Canada-1991 — Page 5

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CONFIDENTIAL

HKD 021/3

FROM:

N J Cox

Hong Kong Department

DATE: 17 October 1991

Mr Burns, NAD

17 CUT 1991

CC:

Mr Ricketts, HKD

WHITEHALL CANADA GROUP

1. Your minute of 17 September refers. The following summarizes our main contacts with the Canadians on Hong Kong recently.

(a) we have lobbied the Canadians in Ottawa, including a letter to Mr Mulroney from the Prime Minister in support of

US renewal of Most Favoured Nation status for China and on

maintaining confidence in Hong Kong in general. They were a key target for our briefing on the Airport Agreement and the

Prime Minister's visit. Sir J Coles discussed Hong Kong during his visit to Ottawa in mid-September.

(b) the Canadian High Commission keep in touch with the

Department regularly on items of current interest, eg we brief them regularly on the work of the JLG and discussed with them the recent LegCo elections in Hong Kong and a proposal to send a Canadian "observer" team to them;

(c) there are also close contacts in Hong Kong, particularly with the Political Adviser and his colleagues.

MTHAYB/1

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