CONFIDENTIAL
FM TOKYO
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 835
OF 300815Z NOVEMBER 92
CONFIDENTIAL
Нив HUB callz
118
115122
MDHIAN 9874
MEN
No! pag. 5.
по!
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INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
VISIT TO JAPAN BY GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG
SUMMARY
1. A GOOD VISIT. NEEDED ON PARA 9.
SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR FOLLOW UP.
INSTRUCTIONS
DETAIL
THIS WAS A VERY GOOD VISIT, AT A MOMENT WHEN HONG KONG IS IN THE HEADLINES HERE. HKETO WERE OF COURSE IN THE LEAD BUT THE GOVERNOR MAY WELCOME AN EMBASSY COMMENT ON THE POLITICS.
3. FIRST, MR PATTEN WAS TIRELESS. HE TOOK ON AN EXTREMELY HEAVY PROGRAMME AND CUT A BROAD SWATH THROUGH THE JAPANESE ESTABLISHMENT. HE HAS MANY FRIENDS HERE, THE RESULT OF CULTIVATION OVER MANY YEARS CA MODEL WHICH I COMMEND). AS ALWAYS IN JAPANESE SOCIETY THE PERSONAL CARD IS CRUCIAL.
4. THE JAPANESE HAVE BEEN WATCHING RECENT EVENTS IN HONG KONG WITH A MIXTURE OF SYMPATHY AND ANXIETY. FORMALLY, SENTIMENT CRYSTALLISED ON THE SIDE OF SYMPATHY AND SUPPORT FOR THE DEMOCRATISATION PROCESS, IN THE CABINET SECRETARY'S STATEMENT OF 16 NOVEMBER (MY TELNO 11 TO HONG KONG). THAT IS GOOD GROUND TO CAMP ON.
MR PATTEN NEITHER SOUGHT NOR WAS OFFERED, ANY FURTHER PUBLIC COMMITMENT. HE WAS CAREFUL, AGAIN IN MY VIEW RIGHTLY, NOT TO PUSH THE JAPANESE TO THE POINT OF EMBARRASSMENT. WHILE JAPANESE MINISTERS ADMIRE MR PATTEN'S CONDUCT OF AFFAIRS IN HONG KONG, CORPORATE JAPAN ALSO HAS A LOT TO PLAY FOR IN CHINA MY TELNO 748). HUMILIATION OF PEKING IS NOT IN THE CULTURE, AND JAPANESE OFFICIALS ARE ANXIOUS NOT TO PUT THEIR OWN HAND IN A UK/CHINA HINGE.
THE GOVERNOR MADE IT CLEAR THAT CONFRONTATION WITH CHINA WAS NOT HIS STARTING POINT EITHER. BUT HE MADE IT EQUALLY CLEAR, IN A SERIES OF FRANK AND PATIENT BRIEFINGS, THAT ISSUES OF PRINCIPLE
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