TNAG-2463-FCO40-3585-Overseas-visits-by-Sir-David-Wilson--Governor-of-Hong-Kong-1992 — Page 70

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CANADA/HONG KONG

I had lunch today with Don Waterfall (Head of DEA's North Asia Relations Division).

1.

2. I said we had warmly welcomed Mrs McDougall's statement of 9 October in support of Mr Patten's proposals for greater democracy in Hong Kong. Mr Waterfall said that DEA officials had been pleased to get this statement approved so quickly during the referendum campaign. It was a mark of how strongly Mrs McDougall herself felt on the subject. The Chinese Embassy had made clear their displeasure at the statement. But there had been no real dialogue with the Chinese on the proposals, either in Peking or Ottawa. At the end of a recent lunch-time meeting in Ottawa including John Tennant (the DG for Asia Pacific North), the Canadians had reaffirmed their support for the Patten proposals; the Chinese had restated their contrary position; and both sides had left it at that.

3.

Mr Waterfall said that during the Governor's visit on

13 November the Prime Minister and Mrs McDougall would principally be interested to hear direct from Mr Patten how he saw the situation in Hong Kong and the prospects for the next five years. The Canadians saw little give in the Chinese position at present, and in the run-up to 1997 would wish to continue to play their part in keeping up the pressure on the Chinese. There would also be discussion with Mr Patten of trade and investment issues and of immigration/refugees (though most of the heat had happily now gone out of the refugee issue).

4. I said we were awaiting information from Hong Kong Department on the latest exchanges with the Chinese on, in particular, the Patten proposals. Mr Waterfall will now be away until Thursday 12 November. Although the main DEA briefing is going forward today, the DEA would be very interested for any further background we can give them early next week. We should speak to Ron Briggs (Deputy Director) or Mary Boyd in Mr Waterfall's absence.

5. I mentioned that we were aware the DEA had earlier this year identified mutual interests in Hong Kong as a subject on which they would welcome more regular bilateral political consultations. Mr Waterfall confirmed this. He had had a useful discussion with Peter Ricketts in London in May. The Canadian mission in Hong Kong also kept closely in touch with the Hong Kong Government. Dialogue in Hong Kong would, he thought, become all the more valuable in the next few years, especially with someone like Mr Patten as Governor.

H

•

6 November 1992

Cc:

HC

B H Dinwiddy

PF Ricketts Esq, Hong Kong Dept, FCO

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