RESTRICTED
FM PARIS
TO TELELETTER FCO
TELELETTER
OF 041658Z SEPTEMBER 92
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HKA 182/3
170
006314
MDTTAN 6080
aujint
British Interst
ра
m
CORRECTED VERSION LINE OMITTED PARA 3.
FROM JENNIFER TOWNSON, PARIS
TO TERRY FURNESS, HKD, FCO
COPIED TO HONG KONG
FRANCE/HONG KONG
1.
I HAD LUNCH ON 3 SEPTEMBER WITH LE CORRE, (QUAI DESK OFFICER FOR HONG KONG AND TAIWAN). THE FOLLOWING POINTS ARE WORTH
RECORDING.
VISIT OF HONG KONG GOVERNMENT MISSION
2.
LE CORRE CONFIRMED THAT A DELEGATION FROM THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WERE DISCUSSING AGREEMENTS ON EXTRADITION AND PROTECTION OF INVESTMENT THIS WEEK WITH THE DIRECTION JURIDIQUE IN THE QUAI. THE DISCUSSIONS WERE MERELY PREPARATORY AND NOTHING SUBSTANTIAL WAS EXPECTED OF THEM IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE. AN AGREEMENT ON THE PROTECTION OF INVESTMENTS SHOULD BE RELATIVELY EASY TO NEGOTIATE, BUT THE QUAI ENVISAGED GREATER LEGAL PROBLEMS OVER AN AGREEMENT ON EXTRADITION WHICH WOULD REMAIN IN FORCE AFTER
1997.
POST-SCRIPT TO MARTIN LEE'S VISIT
3. I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO REINFORCE UK VIEWS ON MARTIN LEE'S SUGGESTION THAT AN INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION TO OVERSEE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT BE SET UP (FCO TELELETTER OF 9 JULY). LE CORRE TOOK THE POINT THAT INDIVIDUAL
CONTACT WITH THE CHINESE WOULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN ANTAGONISING
THEM BY MASS INTERNATIONAL ACTION. LE CORRE CONFIRMED THAT LEE HAD
NOT BEEN GIVEN ANY ENCOURAGEMENT FOR HIS IDEA BY THE QUAI.
BY-ELECTION RESULT
4. WE BRIEFLY DISCUSSED THE RECENT BY-ELECTION DEFEAT FOR THE LIBERALS. THE QUAI WERE WATCHING WITH INTEREST AS THIS WAS A
SURPRISING RESULT AND LE CORRE ASKED IF THERE WAS AN OFFICIAL
ANALYSIS BASED ON THIS RESULT. I SAID THAT IT WAS PROBABLY RATHER
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