TNAG-2455-FCO40-3576-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-presentation-1992 — Page 49

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FROM: P F Ricketts

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Hong Kong Department

DATE: 2 October 1992

cc: Sir John Coles Mr Pellew, NAD Mr Davies, FED Mr Thomas, SPD Mr King, CFSP Unit

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HONG KONG: CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: MESSAGES TO THE JAPANESE, US, CANADIAN AND AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS

1. The Secretary of State undertook when he saw the Japanese Foreign Minister in New York to send him a message with the background to the Governor's constitutional proposals and an up-date on the airport.

2.

As discussed with Private Office, I now submit the text of a message which I recommend should be despatched on 6 October so as to give the Japanese a few hours' advance notice of the Governor's proposals. I also recommend that similar messages go to the Secretary of State's US, Canadian and Australian counterparts, given their countries' close interest in Hong Kong.

3.

I have considered whether to recommend messages to Community Foreign Ministers as well. Most follow the Hong Kong issue less closely than the four recipients of the present draft. There is also some disadvantage in encouraging our partners to take a closer interest in Hong Kong in EPC discussions: that would fuel Chinese suspicions about internationalisation. I therefore recommend that we should deal with partners by means of a Community briefing of Embassies in London to be given by Mr Hum on 7 October.

I will clear the texts in parallel with the Governor over the weekend, and will let the PS know of any changes he suggests.

4.

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PF Ricketts

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CONFIDENTIAL