CONFIDENTIAL
AHKD 021/2
7
073120 MDHIAN 2157
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 070900Z FCO
TELNO 346
OF 070741Z FEBRUARY 92
13 FER KAA
✓7/2 2.8
INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG COPY
INFO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG
ड
Q DIST?
Ener
YRTELNO 139 TO WASHINGTON: THE US/HK POLICY ACT 1991 (THE MCCONNELL BILL)
1. THE MCCONNELL BILL IS A WELL MEANING BUT BADLY THOUGHT OUT
INITIATIVE. THE BILL, AND PARTICULARLY THE REPORTING PROVISION, IS STRONGLY DISLIKED BY THE CHINESE. WE HAVE VERY INFORMALLY TOLD THE US CONSULATE-GENERAL THAT WE OURSELVES ARE NOT IN FAVOUR OF THE REQUIREMENT TO REPORT. IT WOULD BE AN IRRITANT FOR US BEFORE 1997 AS WELL AS FOR PEKING AFTER 1997. I WOULD SEE NO OBJECTION TO WASHINGTON REPEATING THIS POINT PRIVATELY TO THE US ADMINISTRATION. BUT TO LOBBY CONGRESS OPENLY WOULD, AS YOU POINT OUT, LEAD TO CRITICISM HERE AND WOULD RISK LOSING US FRIENDS IN THE UNITED STATES ON MFN. I WOULD THEREFORE NOT/NOT FAVOUR LOBBYING.
2. WE CANNOT KNOW HOW THE BILL WILL EVENTUALLY COME OUT. UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS PASSED, I SEE LITTLE ADVANTAGE IN ANY PUBLIC STATEMENT. AFTER ITS EVENTUAL PASSAGE, I SUGGEST WE SHOULD SIMPLY MAKE THE POINTS THAT THE ASSURANCES FOR HONG KONG'S FUTURE REST ON THE JD AND THAT ITS IMPLEMENTATION IS OF COURSE A MATTER FOR THE UK AND CHINA.
WILSON
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
60
.HONG KONG AGREEMENT
.(RESTRICTED)
LIMITED
HKD
DISTRIBUTION
64
PLANNERS RAD
PS/LORD CAITHNESS PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD
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CONFIDENTIAL
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