TNAG-2608-FCO40-3799-International-support-from-the-USA-regarding-the-future-of-H-1992 — Page 107

RESTRICTED

HKD 021/2

21

162624

MDTTAN 4413

Pa

RESTRICTED

FM FCO

TO TELELETTER WASHINGTON

TELELETTER

OF 111153Z MARCH 92

AND TO TELELETTER HONG KONG, PEKING

McConnell

TIS

UM 12/3

FOR STEPHEN PATTISON ESQ, WASHINGTON

FROM RICKETTS, HKD

COPIES TO WILLIAM EHRMAN ESQ, POLITICAL ADVISER, HONG KONG

CHANCERY, PEKING

THE MCCONNELL BILL

1. LARRY ROBINSON OF THE US EMBASSY DROPPED IN TODAY TO ASK ME

ABOUT THE QIAN VISIT.

ON

2.

I MENTIONED THAT QIAN HAD RAISED THE MCCONNELL BILL. THIS

LED ON TO DISCUSSION OF WHERE THINGS STOOD IN WASHINGTON. ROBINSON SAID THAT STATE REMAINED IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH THE SENATE

STAFFERS. IT LOOKED AS IF THE BILL WOULD NOW MOVE FORWARD QUICKLY WITH HEARINGS DURING THE NEXT MONTH. THE STAFFERS WERE RECEPTIVE TO PROPOSALS FOR AMENDMENTS PROVIDED THAT THE OVERALL

THRUST OF THE BILL WAS NOT LOST. STATE THOUGHT THAT THEY HAD SUCCEEDED IN REMOVING MOST OF THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. 3. I SAID THAT THE BILL PUT US IN SOMETHING OF A QUANDARY.

THE ONE HAND WE BELIEVED THAT SENATOR MCCONNELL WAS WELL

INTENTIONED TOWARDS HONG KONG AND WE DID NOT WANT TO REBUFF HIS INTEREST. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE CHINESE REMAINED NEURALGIC ABOUT INTERNATIONALISATION CAS QIAN HAD SHOWN BY RAISING THE SUBJECT WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE). THERE WAS NO MCCONNELL BILL WHICH THE CHINESE WOULD FIND ACCEPTABLE, AND THEREFORE PROPOSING AMENDMENTS ONLY ADDRESSED PART OF THE PROBLEM. I KNEW THAT YOU HAD KEPT STATE AND THE STAFFERS UP-TO-DATE WITH OUR SPECIFIC CONCERNS. GIVEN OUR QUANDARY, OUR REACTION IF AND WHEN THE BILL BECAME LAW WOULD PROBABLY BE VERY LOW KEY.

4. ROBINSON SAID HE THOUGHT THE BILL WAS LIKELY TO MOVE QUICKLY THROUGH HEARINGS AND COULD WELL BECOME LAW BY THE SUMMER. HE THOUGHT THAT THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE STAFFERS INVOLVED WOULD

UNDERSTAND IF HMG AVOIDED TAKING ANY CLEAR POSITION ONE WAY OR

THE OTHER AT THAT TIME.