TNAG-2469-FCO40-3593-Most-favoured-nation-status-for-China-Hong-Kong-interests-1992 — Page 32

CONFIDENTIAL

157202

MDHIAN 2117

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2886

OF 120218Z DECEMBER 92

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, WASHINGTON, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

TORRY'S TELELETTER OF 9 DECEMBER TO EHRMAN: CHINA/MFN/HONG KONG.

1. WE HAVE SPOKEN TO THE U.S. CONSUL-GENERAL WHO IS ASKING CLARK TO BE IN TOUCH WITH THE CLINTON TEAM ABOUT THEIR THOUGHTS ON HONG KONG BEFORE HE VISITS HERE. I WOULD THEREFORE BE HAPPY TO SEE HIM FOR A FEW MINUTES ON HIS OWN. WE WILL GIVE THE U.S. CONSUL- GENERAL THE DETAILS OF THE TIME.

2. I HAVE GIVEN SOME THOUGHT, FURTHER TO MY TELNO 2880 TO THE FCO, TO THE QUESTION OF GETTING ACROSS TO THE CLINTON CAMP THE SENSITIVITIES OF THE LINKAGE BETWEEN MFN AND THE CHINESE ATTITUDE TO POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG. SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS AND THOSE OF THE FCO, I THINK IT COULD BE HELPFUL IF YOU COULD GET A MESSAGE TO THE CLINTON TEAM EXPRESSING MY THANKS FOR THE CONCERN SHOWN BY THE PRESIDENT-ELECT ON HONG KONG AND EXPRESSING MY HOPE THAT I WILL BE ABLE TO MEET HIM FAIRLY SOON AFTER HIS INAUGURATION TO EXPLAIN THE POLICIES WHICH I AM PURSUING IN HONG KONG. I WOULD HOPE TO DISCUSS WITH HIM, IN THIS CONTEXT, THE DIFFICULTIES WHICH COULD ARISE IF THE MFN QUESTION BECAME TIED UP WITH THE POLITICAL SITUATION HERE.

PATTEN

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

.HK POLICY

HKD

PUSD

FED

63

LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT .AND MS BROOKS

DISTRIBUTION

72

PLANNERS

RAD

PS

PS/MR GOODLAD

SIR J COLES

MR APPLEYARD

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CONFIDENTIAL